


The Magic Awakens

by Scarlet_Curls



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Angst with a Happy Ending, Asexual Zelda, Biromantic Zelda, Child Timeline (Legend of Zelda), Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Forbidden Love, Good Ganondorf (Legend of Zelda), I also write Zelda as autistic but that isn't really mentioned, Impa - Freeform, Link is a bad boy with good boy vibes, Midna is a good girl with bad girl vibes, Minor Character Death, Oh and she has an anxiety disorder, Protective Siblings, Quests, Sheik is Zelda, Zant - Freeform, because I'm projecting, demise - Freeform, ghirahim - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:15:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 92,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25904167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlet_Curls/pseuds/Scarlet_Curls
Summary: Siblings Link and Zelda could not be more different. Zelda is a model student running against Midna for student council president, and Link is a frontline protester and urban explorer with more than a few run-ins with the law. Little do they know that their very reincarnation into this world is an omen of magic's return to Hyrule, along with an ancient evil that threatens to corrupt a dear friend.New chapter weekly!
Relationships: Ganondorf & Link (Legend of Zelda), Ganondorf/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link/Midna (Legend of Zelda), Midna & Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 155
Kudos: 89





	1. Call of the Sword

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and welcome! It's been a while since I've written for the Legend of Zelda fandom. With 2020 being what it is, many people are finding comfort in their old fandoms and I am no exception.
> 
> Small content warning: This story includes the occasional swear word. It takes place in a modern setting with teens, so sometimes it's necessary for realism. More content warnings are listed at the end.
> 
> Without further ado, please enjoy this first chapter of The Magic Awakens.
> 
> Updated on 23 October 2020. Minor continuity edit.
> 
> Updated on 21 February 2021. Moved content warnings to first chapter.
> 
> Updated on 24 February 2021. Story rating changed from Teen to Mature. Author's note referencing T-rating has been deleted.
> 
> Updated on 5 March 2021. Minor typos fixed.

As cars passed stained-glass windows, the rainbow beams swept past a silhouette wandering ancient halls. He carefully walked along the faded red carpet, passing many decorative suits of armour overdue for a polish. The teenage boy took out his slate and turned on the touch screen. Blue light illuminated sandy hair, blue eyes, pointed ears, and a green knitted cap. With a swipe and a tap, the torch of his smart device activated, and he used it to scan the many classic paintings and murals lining the walls.

They depicted much of the folklore Link had heard growing up. There were the three Golden Goddesses creating Hyrule, Hylia raising a city into the sky, spirits of light chasing dark interlopers into a realm of shadows, six sages executing a malevolent king, an imp riding a blue-eyed beast, and a magical sword that split its wielder into four copies of himself. That was only a mere handful of what was on display. At the end of this timeline of countless legends, the hall opened up into a room with a well-kept mural that stretched from floor to ceiling. It depicted the very thing all the legends revolved around.

The Triforce.

From the heavens, the three golden triangles shone over Hyrule with the radiance of the sun, but the menacing silhouette of a boar-like creature hulked over them, his claws closing in on the ultimate power. Beneath him knelt two figures. The one on the left had pale blonde locks reaching most of the way down her back. She wore a white garb and golden jewellery in the shape of Hylia's crest. The figure on the left had short, sandy hair, a green cap, and the classic green tunic worn by all the heroes of old. Together they held the purple hilt of the legendary Master Sword as six medallions of various colours circled them. This mural depicted the last known legend in Hyrule's mythology. It was the climactic moment when all seemed lost, when the Triforce was at last in the clutches of evil and the apocalyptic darkness was nigh. Then two brave souls, the princess and her chosen hero, used the six medallions of the ancient sages to draw all the magic of Hyrule into the sacred blade. They plunged it into the pedestal, sealing away the magic forever.

Whether this legend was fact or fiction was still hotly debated to this day. Archaeologists would point out the many, many structural anomalies in the world, as well as Hyrule's long history of depicting magic in its art, literature, and academic texts, only for things to completely halt around two thousand years ago. Physicists would argue the logical impossibility of magic's existence, insisting that it would break the laws of nature as they knew them. Each side made compelling arguments, but it was a debate that the general public of Hyrule had grown weary of. All they knew was a world where nothing could defy gravity, nothing could glow without a sufficient heat source, and nothing could manifest from thin air. What they did know was that there was a perfectly logical explanation behind everything they observed in the universe. Well, almost everything.

What did Link believe to be true? He wasn't sure. In his youth, he idealised the epic tales of heroes clad in green, and part of him still did. A very strong part that compelled him to don his father's faded green shirts and hat and pursue adventure wherever he found it. For example, sneaking through Hyrule Castle after opening hours.

Yes, Link fantasised about one day being a hero chosen by the Goddesses, but didn't every child? The stories Impa told him suggested that his father yearned for the same when he was younger. But when Link thought about a magical destiny one day becoming his reality, it filled him with dread. It would mean that the eternal evil from all those stories was real, and he would be burdened with beating it back just to buy Hyrule a few more centuries of peace. His soul would be reborn and forced to do it again and again until the river of time ran dry.

For that reason, Link chose to indulge in those stories as mere fantasy. Taste the glory without the trauma. Perhaps they were true, but right now, it did not matter to him as he allowed the mural to conjure epic tales in the safe confines of his imagination.

"Who goes there?"

Footsteps and torchlight approached from the hall. Link dimmed his scroll and ducked towards the nearest exit sign. He rattled the handle of the fire escape door. Locked. He dove his hand into his pocket. Two bobby pins. Within seconds, he bent them into shape. Lock picks. He jimmied them around the keyhole. Within seconds, there was a click. Link turned the knob. The hinges creaked. Security's footsteps hastened. Link threw himself through the door, locked it, and bounded up the stairs. After the second flight, the door creaked again. The torch chased Link up the stairs, but he stayed one corner out of sight. At the top of the stairs, he met another locked door. His pursuer hand one flight left. There wasn't enough time to pick the lock.

Link spied the railing. With a brief running start, he vaulted over it. His sneakers smacked against the concrete stairs. The security guard shone his torch down on the young Hylian as he vaulted down to the next flight and the next. With a frustrated huff, the guard pattered down the stairs and ran through the wide-open door below.

Once the guard's footsteps had disappeared down the hallway, Link emerged from the gap between the door and the wall and ascended the stairs once more.

From there, it was easy to avoid security and pick a few more locks to reach the throne room. Unlike the lower halls, it was at least decently preserved. Stained glass windows lined the walls, filtering moonlight in rainbow hues. They dimly illuminated the statue of Din, Nayru, and Farore circling the Triforce. Beneath them rested a golden throne lined with dark velvet, hosting a silhouette.

"You're late." The occupant's voice was deep and clear. It was the kind of voice that didn't merely command your attention but reached out and seized it.

Link crossed his arms as he approached the shrouded figure. "That's not your throne."

The figure leaned back, and a sliver of white moonlight fell across tanned skin, wild red hair, and a single, golden eye. "It is now," Ganondorf said. "I think it suits me." Link burst into laughter. The Gerudo's brow furrowed. "What?"

Link turned on his heel and walked towards the grand double doors on the opposite end of the room. "You wanna drop the evil overlord act and help me open this place up?"

 _"Evil overlord?"_ Ganondorf sprang from his seat. "I was going for 'powerful yet benevolent ruler dethrones tyrant'."

Link jimmied his safety pins around in the lock. "I'll tone police you later. Just help out."

Ganondorf joined Link's side just as the lock clicked. "You Hylians can't stomach pure charisma, I swear. You always want to be coddled by fancy words and indoor voices."

The friends pressed their hands on a door each and pushed. The heavy creak reverberated around the room as the doors revealed a balcony with a curving staircase on either side. Wind whipped their faces and white noise filled their ears. Though there were no stars to be seen in the deep navy sky, light surrounded them in the form of rush hour traffic and skyscrapers with glowing windows and billboards towering over the castle on all sides but one. The balcony itself overlooked a town square with a central fountain, suburbia, and then a forest with pink lining the horizon.

Hyrule was so proud of its history that it wanted Hyrule Castle to be one of the first things travellers saw as they entered the creatively named Castle City, formerly known as Castle Town. The stark contrast of modern metropolis surrounding ancient fortress gave the city its identity, but to Link, it was suffocating. The closed-in buildings were as stuffy as the polluted air. The view from the balcony felt like staring through a window, rather than an actual view where you could turn in any direction and see the land extend into the horizon. If these buildings weren't in the way, Link would be able to see Death Mountain or the river that led to Lake Hylia. The best Link had was the Great Deku Tree half-obscured by a skyscraper with so much glare that it gave Link a headache.

"Goddesses, it makes you feel so small," Ganondorf said, "and not in a good way."

"Bit rich coming from you," Link teased.

Ganondorf smirked as he stood tall, staring down at his friend. "I was born with the body of a leader," he said. "Can't say the same for you." He patted Link's head jokingly. The Hylian swatted his wrist away.

The height difference between them was staggering. Ganondorf could effortlessly touch the ceiling of most rooms he entered, and he had hit his head on far more door frames than he would ever admit to. Link was short even by Hylian standards and barely reached Ganondorf's chest.

The friends returned to the view, pondering what kinds of adventures could be pursued outside the confines of city life.

Link's slate buzzed like crazy in his pocket, and he pulled it out to see several angry texts and an incoming video call from Zelda. He thought about declining but figured he might as well confront her sooner than later. He answered. Zelda's frazzled face appeared. She wore an apron and held a wooden spoon.

"Link! For Din's sake, where are- Are you at Hyrule Castle? On a _school night?"_

"I said I'd be here," Link said earnestly.

"You said you were going to the _library,_ not the _throne room."_

"Hello, Zelda," said Ganondorf, hovering beside Link with a princely grin. "You look lovely tonight."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Of course _you_ would be there."

"Would you rather hear me say you're beautiful all the time?"

"I would _rather_ you keep my brother out of your stupid adventures."

Ganondorf scoffed. "Don't pin this on me. It was his idea."

Link shot Ganondorf a glare as Zelda redirected her scolding towards him. "Seriously, Link? Unlike most of your destinations, this one is actually _legal_ to access."

"If you're willing to fork out 60 rupees," Link rebutted.

Zelda huffed with frustration. "You know what? We can discuss the late capitalism of Hyrule Castle over a nice and hearty dinner. We can't do that if you get arrested _again._ It won't help my chances in the student council election either, you know."

Link sighed. "Fine. I'll be home soon."

"Tick tock," Zelda sang. She hung up.

Link leaned against the balcony railing on his elbows and groaned. All he wanted, all he ever wanted, was to be able to explore the world freely without having to worry about all the countless, arbitrary restrictions society put in place. If you wanted to visit another country, you needed a passport. If you wanted to explore an abandoned shopping mall, you needed a permit. If you wanted to experience the wonders of Hyrule Castle, you needed some mediocre tour guide. To do anything at all, you needed rupees. Lots of rupees. And if you ignored those restrictions? Suddenly you were "committing an offense" and your actions "reflect badly on your sister."

"Aren't we leaving?" asked Ganondorf.

"Five more minutes," Link said. "She won't know."

Ganondorf sat on the railing next to him. "It's just the same shit over and over, isn't it?"

Link huffed in amusement. Ganon was the only one who understood Link's wanderlust. Though they obediently fell into the routine of school, home, sleep just to appease the system, sometimes it felt so constricting that they needed to break away immediately. Something about their spirits demanded that they chase after some great unknown, to dare where others dare not.

Having a grand and perilous quest sounded quite enticing now.

"Ganon," Link asked, "Do you think magic will ever return to Hyrule?"

Ganondorf gazed up at the sky, finding one star glinting defiantly through the light pollution. "I don't think it ever left."

After a few quiet moments, the friends descended the building together, finding no security guards on their route. This piqued Link's suspicion, but Ganondorf insisted that luck must just be on their side this time.

Then they reached the room with the mural where three police officers had been waiting for them.

* * *

"Captain Ozul," Impa pleaded. "He's just going through a rebellious phase. It won't last much longer, I assure you."

Tahk Ozul crossed his arms. "I doubt that. He's had five chances to turn himself around, and I haven't seen him improve in the slightest."

Impa's silver hair was tied back into a bun with a single braid extending past her right collar bone. She had a red tattoo on her left eye featuring curled corners, three triangles on her brow bone, and a teardrop. At the nape of her neck was another tattoo of Hylia's bird-like crest.

The Sheikah and the Twili debated Link's fate at the Castle Central Police Precinct as the Hylian boy sat in the holding cell alone. Ganondorf had already been collected by a rather disgruntled Urbosa.

"It won't happen again," Impa said. "I swear."

Tahk narrowed his eyes. "Fine, but this is his last warning. If I find him in my precinct one more time, he's going to trial."

Impa nodded. "Thank-you, Captain Ozul."

Tahk instructed one of the officers to open the cell, and Link walked out as he rubbed his arm nervously. One stern look from Impa, and he immediately averted her gaze. He would have rather stayed locked up than have to deal with her wrath again.

For the first few minutes of their car trip, Impa let her anger and disappointment sit in the air. Thick. Suffocating. Too many times she had to make this trip. Too many excuses she had to make for him. She was tired of this. Tired of Link disappearing and then resurfacing either in the police precinct or back at home as if he had just gone out for a quick errand and nothing more.

"When I was made your guardian," Impa began, "I promised your mother that I would keep you safe and happy."

Link slumped in the passenger seat with his arms crossed. "Pick one," he said. If one were to draw a Venn diagram of 'Things that Keep Link Safe' and 'Things that Keep Link Happy', it would be two circles with no overlap. It was the one parenting puzzle Impa couldn't solve with Link. She taught him to take responsibility for his schooling, chores, behaviour, and finances with relative ease. But to discourage his trespassing tendencies? Nothing worked. Not even relaying the police captain's threat seemed to discourage him during their argument.

Link ignored her lectures, and Impa grew weary of it herself. The trip fell into silence once more.

They passed by a playground with two swings and a medium-sized deku tree ideal for climbing. Moments later, the car rolled up the driveway and into the garage.

"You didn't take the bike," said Impa as she observed the royal blue vehicle parked near the wall.

Link shrugged. "No parking in the CBD."

Impa parked the car. "You go on in. I have to get back to work."

With a nod, Link unstrapped himself and left the car. Just as he placed his hand on the door, Impa called out to him. "By the way, you're grounded for two weeks!"

Link cast her a frown and entered the house. He was immediately met by Zelda's firm embrace. "By the Goddesses, Link. Are you alright?"

Link gave her a reassuring pat on the head. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

Zelda withdrew and led him to the kitchen. "You missed dinner, so I had to put your serve in the fridge. I'll heat it up for you."

"Nah," Link said, opening the fridge. "I can do it myself." As he reached for the covered bowl of carrot stew, Zelda lightly smacked his wrist with her wooden spoon.

"Mr Harkinian. After skipping our family dinner, I hope you won't further mock me by using the microwave."

"Uh…" Link massaged the back of his neck. "Maybe?"

"Unbelievable!" she said. She shoved him out of the way and snatched the bowl out of the fridge herself.

Link had to wait a few minutes longer for Zelda to heat the stew in the freshly cleaned pot, but it was well worth it when she placed the steaming bowl in front of him with a fresh garnish of Hylian herb.

"I'm going to study," she announced. "Have you done your homework yet?" Link, his mouth stuffed with stew, shook his head. Zelda frowned. "And here I was hoping that you actually did go to the library." She made her way up the stairs. "Sing out when you're ready to wash the dishes."

Link swallowed and responded, "Sure thing."

* * *

The void stretched on for eternity in all directions. There was no up or down, left or right, until a gentle force tugged Link forwards. With each step, the warmth on the back of Link's hand grew. He wasn't sure what it was or why it was there, but it felt as though it was as much a part of his hand as the five fingers extending from it. Something appeared in the distance, a speck emitting the same warmth. Link broke into a run. Whatever it was, he needed to reach it. Whatever it was, it was his by birthright.

Link stopped before a magnificent blade in the pedestal. It illuminated the aged stone walls surrounding them. The sword beckoned him closer. He reached out, closed his hands around the hilt, and pulled.

A violent shake snapped Link from his dream. He sprung up from his desk in the back row, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the midmorning sunlight that spilled into the classroom.

"Mr Harkinian!" The shrill voice ripped through Link's drowsiness like a needle. "Care to explain why you insult my classroom by taking a nap?" Mrs Twinrova's wrinkled face hovered before him. _Personal space would be nice,_ he thought.

"Uh…" Link's mind, still in the process of waking, fumbled for an answer that could dodge a detention.

"Well? Answer me!" Goddesses, was her voice always _this_ annoying?

Just as Link opened his mouth to blurt out whatever random excuse came to mind, they were interrupted by a yawn from the front of the classroom. A Twili with long legs propped up on her desk had thrown back her head and stretched her arms as she yawned the longest and loudest yawn Link had ever heard.

Mrs Twinrova's eyes narrowed in her direction. "Am I boring you, Ms Ozul?" she asked venomously.

Midna lazily rested her right arm on the back of her chair. "Yes actually, you are."

Mrs Twinrova's fists shook. She stormed down the aisle in the middle of the classroom and slammed her hands down on Midna's desk. The Twili wore a look of pure apathy as she examined her nails. "You won't win student council president with that catty attitude," the teacher spat.

Saliva droplets rained on Midna's face. She grimaced and wiped them away. "Oh please, it'll take a rebel to make real change." A few of the students jeered in approval, but one look from Mrs Twinrova shut them up. "Now if you don't mind, I'm trying to get an A+, so quit wasting my time and get back to teaching."

Mrs Twinrova's jaw dropped. With a huff, she straightened herself, picked up her chalk (because she was that old-fashioned), and continued her lecture on the timeline of Hyrule's folklore.

It was one of the few topics taught in school that actually interested Link, as he had grown up on these stories based on Hyrule's legends. Unfortunately, whenever Mrs Twinrova wasn't yelling, her voice droned like a dying engine. It sucked all the energy out of the room, aside from Midna who diligently jotted down notes on her tablet.

Oh Goddesses, Midna. How do you even begin to describe Midna? Her high ponytail was a tassel of flames in the sunlight, and her eyes glinted like rubies. She was six feet of pure, unbridled sass clad in black clothing with a modern twist on traditional Twili patterns. Her outfits always skirted the dress code, exposing as much cool grey skin as the school would tolerate.

But nothing about Midna's magnificent looks could rival her personality. Some would describe her as a bomb. Set her fuse, and she'd explode in your face and leave you with a devastating fallout. Link preferred to think of her as a firework. There was still a fuse and an explosion, but the fallout was always something beautiful: results. They could be stellar grades, stellar achievements, or stellar comebacks.

Back in primary school, she practically bullied the principal into building ramps for one of the students who used a wheelchair. At the assembly following the construction, she was given a service trophy and a chance to address the school with a few "words of inspiration". Midna could have spoken about the importance of looking out for your fellow students or being tolerant of each other's differences, but she said something else entirely. "I don't want some stupid award because I did your job." Then she shoved the trophy back in the principal's hand, dropped the mic, and skipped off stage. Legendary.

The bell rang and Link hurried to pack his brown, leather, messenger bag so he could catch Midna before she left. She slid her tablet into her backpack, swung it over her shoulder, and strode out of the classroom. Link caught up to her in the middle of a hallway lined with lockers. "Hey Midna, I wanted to thank-" She slipped into the bustling crowd of students. Link's shoulders sank. Perhaps she hadn't heard him? Or maybe she still held a petty grudge from that incident nine years ago.

A stack of posters smacked into his chest. "Come on, Mr Frowny Face," teased Zelda. "You promised to put these up."

Zelda's school attire was preppy yet elegant. Her shiny blonde hair was styled into a low bun with a braid running over her crown. Gold-rimmed glasses from a vintage store circled her blue eyes. She wore a white cotton turtleneck under a pastel purple chiffon dress that reached her knees, as well as white crew-length socks and pale pink oxfords.

As she and Link put up her election posters, Zelda couldn't stop thinking about the forlorn expression she saw on Link's face as he watched Midna leave. "You know, of all the people to crush on, does it really have to be her?" Zelda asked.

"Who?"

"Quit playing dumb. We're twins. If anyone can tell you're falling for Midna, it's me."

He turned red. "Wha- Midna? I don't have a thing for Midna."

"Link," said Zelda, "You just taped your hand to the wall."

"Huh?" Link turned to see that in his absent-minded attempt to stick one of the corners of the poster to the wall, he had stuck the washi tape over a few of his fingers. He gently removed his hand and placed the tape over the corner as if nothing had ever happened, but on the inside, he felt a twinge of shame.

Zelda cut off another piece of tape for Link. "I just don't understand though. Why her? You know what she used to be like."

"I know," Link said. "I have no interest in dating her, okay? Not after how she hurt you." He taped down the final corner. "And even if I did, her father would have me tossed in a cell."

Zelda giggled. "At least you aren't reckless in your romantic life."

"Where to next?" Link asked, slightly irritated.

Zelda set off down the hall and promptly slammed into someone's chest. She apologised as she knelt down to pick up the scattered posters. As she reached for the final one, the figure snatched it up. "Hey!" Zelda snapped. She stood up and glared at Groose. "Give that back right now."

The burly boy had pasty skin, dopey yellow eyes, and a crimson pompadour. He also had a rather unfortunate sense of fashion, as he often unironically dressed like it was the 90s. Today's ensemble included a loose navy and yellow striped shirt tucked into wide-legged jeans in a sickly green colour.

Groose slicked back his pompadour as he flashed Zelda a cocky grin. His lackies, Cawlin and Fledge, hovered behind him. "Nice bumping into you, sweetheart." Zelda jumped up to snatch her poster back but Groose held it out of reach. "Organised, passionate, dependable?" he read out loud. "That doesn't sound like a president. That sounds like a housewife who reads too many books."

Link stepped forward. "Give. It. Back," he said through gritted teeth.

Groose stared down at him. "Oh yeah? Make me."

Link leapt up faster a higher than Zelda, but Groose just managed to keep Zelda's poster out of reach. Link tried again and again, yet still the prize evaded him. Groose's lackies laughed at the display and a few of the other students joined in. Link pushed off one of the lockers for extra height, but Groose shoved him in mid-air, sending him sprawling on the ground. Groose laughed as he turned back to Zelda. "You know what? I'll give it back if you go on a date with me."

"I'd rather kiss an octorok," Zelda hissed. Some of the onlookers oohed.

"Aw come on. Don't you wanna date your future student council president?"

"I want to _be_ the student council president."

Someone snatched the poster from Groose's hand. "Organised? Passionate? Dependable?" Ganondorf cocked an eyebrow. "Feels like you could do better."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Urgh, now I have to deal with two mansplainers."

Groose scoffed. "Mansplaining isn't a thing."

"Oi, fuck off mate," Ganondorf said. "I'm trying to have a conversation here."

Groose wilted under the Gerudo's glower, as did Cawlin and Fledge. "C'mon guys," Groose grumbled. "We don't hang around simps."

Ganondorf, who had been called a simp many times before, was not fazed by the insult one bit. Being raised by a community of women, he was never hesitant to defend them whenever it seemed necessary. He turned to Zelda. "I wasn't insulting you," he claimed. "If I wrote the poster, I would have called you smart, charismatic, and strong-willed."

Zelda was a little taken aback by the compliment. "Thank-you, Ganondorf," she said, "but don't think you can win me over with mere flattery."

He laughed heartily. His laughter was never anything less. "Challenge accepted," he said with a smirk. "By the way, can I borrow Link for a minute?"

She drew out her slate and set a timer. "I'll give you two, but only because I'm feeling generous."

Link squeezed her shoulder as he passed. "Thanks, Zel."

The friends walked to a less crowded part of the hall and Ganon addressed Link in a hushed tone. "Let's visit the Temple of Time tonight."

"What? No. I'm grounded."

"Look, I have a really good feeling about this," Ganon argued. "It's been showing up a lot in my dreams lately."

Link pondered this. "Me too," he admitted. In his recurring dreams, the emphasis was always on the Master Sword. Find the Master Sword. Draw the Master Sword. The strange tugging sensation from his dream surfaced again, and Link realised he needed to visit that temple like he needed to drink water to sooth a parched throat. But they had just gone on an adventure. "I'm not sure it's worth the risk."

"I think so," said Ganon. "It feels like we're receiving visions from the goddesses themselves."

Link scrutinised his friend. "I hope you're not implying what I think you are."

"C'mon, surely you want to at least try to draw the sword."

"You think it'll budge for you?" Link teased.

Ganon grinned confidently. "If not the Mighty Ganondorf, then maybe you."

"Yeah right."

"I mean it," said Ganon. "You parade around with the hero's face, name, and general style." He prodded at Link's cap.

Link waved Ganon's hand away. "I'm just a fanboy."

"Time's up," Zelda called.

"Think on it," Ganon walked off in the opposite direction and cast Link a wave. "See you tomorrow, Link," he said aloud with a coy wink. Link sighed. His friend made an oddly compelling argument, and he silently prayed to Nayru that he wouldn't fall for it.

"What was that about?" asked Zelda, appearing at his side.

Link shrugged. "Dumb guy stuff."

Though he said it with a stoicism that would have easily convinced anyone else, Zelda could tell that this was far greater than just "dumb guy stuff". If she admitted how she knew though, by the Goddesses, that would probably make things even worse. For that reason, she kept her thoughts to herself. "Alright. I trust you."

* * *

Link lay in bed that night, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling. How many hours had it been since the madness of the Master Sword tainted his every thought like rust on a nail? For Din's sake, it was eating away at him! Awake, every train of thought lead back to his conversation with Ganon. He attempted to fall asleep early to escape it, but that same dream haunted him, more vivid than ever. It went as far as to show him the path through the forest to the temple.

Even now, the calling reached into his very core and tugged and tugged until Link was almost certain he could feel a dull aching in his chest. The mental strain he put into just ignoring the temptation was immense. This was a feeling, a burning desire, he had known his entire life, but never before had it been this strong, this persistent, this enticing.

 _I won't go,_ Link told himself. _If I go, I'll get into trouble again._ Though he would never admit it, he hated making Impa worry and that was why he kept his excursions to a minimum. But she was still working the night shift at her job, wasn't she? In just a few hours he could be back in bed and she wouldn't suspect a thing. No, Link thought. Zelda trusts you to not do something like this. He only needed to hold out until school the next day, when the class work and social atmosphere could hopefully distract his weary mind. _This will pass,_ he assured himself. _This will pass. This will pass._

It did not pass.

Link swung his legs off the bed and reached for the day's clothes that he had left crumpled on the floor. He had no willpower remaining to challenge himself at every garment and every fastening. Once he had stuffed his essentials into his tan trousers and placed his father's old cap upon his head, he glanced at his reflection in the sliding doors of his wardrobe. His breath hitched in is throat.

It was startling how much he looked like the hero in the mural. The pointed ears with the blue piercings that matched his eyes. The short, choppy, sand-coloured hair spilling out from under the cap. Though he did not wear the iconic green tunic, he wore a light denim jacket of the same colour over a cream-coloured shirt. He had tucked his trousers into some chestnut-coloured timberline boots, perfect for hiking. On his back was a brown backpack with water and a first aid kit packed inside. Part of him wanted to deny what he saw, and part of him wanted to celebrate it: if the heroes of old existed today, they would probably look exactly like his reflection. He was the picture of the modern adventurer.

The calling didn't allow him to gaze at his reflection for long. It drew him downstairs and into the garage. The door rattled as it lifted and coiled around the metal rod. He silently prayed that Zelda didn't hear that. Link turned off the brakes on his bike and quietly rolled it out of the garage. Once he had closed the garage door, he continued to roll the bike down the street until he was three doors down. He slipped on his gloves and helmet, revved the engine, and drove after the call of the sword.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo this is my first time posting on Ao3. I'm quite new to this website as I grew up on Fanfiction.net
> 
> What did you think? This chapter is the longest one written so far. You can expect most chapters to be between 3000 to 4000 words. I also have the next five chapters drafted in the backlog, so you can expect fortnightly updates in the near future.
> 
> Also I just wanted to clarify that in this world, the high school setting is Americanised, but there are six years of high school and six years of primary school, just like what we have in Australia. This is because our high schools have uniforms and dozens of individual buildings and neither of those things are fun to write about.
> 
> Don't forget to leave a comment! I'm excited to hear what you think :)
> 
> CONTENT WARNINGS
> 
> This story has content that could be potentially triggering. Initially I was going to have content warnings on the relevant chapters, but A, that kinda spoils said chapter, and B, people should be able to walk away from this story before they get too invested in it. Since the story is still being written, there's possibility for this list to expand.
> 
> SPOILERISH CONTENT WARNINGS START NOW
> 
> Suicide attempts
> 
> Police brutality
> 
> Characters being triggered
> 
> Panic attacks and anxiety symptoms because I gotta project somehow
> 
> Intrusive thoughts
> 
> Discussions of DID and OSDD (the scene has been read by a sensitivity reader)
> 
> Sexual harassment
> 
> Verbal and emotional abuse
> 
> At least one queer character is killed off
> 
> Mild queerphobia
> 
> Faking disability and mental illness
> 
> SPOILERISH CONTENT WARNINGS END
> 
> If you have any questions or need me to clarify anything for you, you're welcome to message me privately, either on this website or Tumblr. My username is scarlet-curls.


	2. Magic Awakened

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link meets up with Ganondorf at the Temple of Time. When they go to investigate the sword, many surprises await them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waiting the full two weeks to post this chapter was a real test of my patience. I would like to thank everyone who has engaged with my story thus far, especially those of you who have commented. The feedback I've received has really warmed by heart.

Whenever Impa had her rooftop "lunch" break at midnight, she dared not look up at the stars. In her youth, she was taught the ways of sky divination. It was believed to be the last method of communication between the sacred and mortal realms. After witnessing the death of her friend nine years ago, Impa wanted nothing to do with the Goddesses' games.

It comforted her to know that Link and Zelda weren't chasing some perilous journey, that they were sleeping towards the next ordinary school day. Reckless as Link was sometimes, he was generous enough to space his adventures out by a few weeks at the very least, and even if he did attempt to sneak out again, Zelda was sure to stop him. He always listened to her over Impa. Though it frustrated the caretaker, she supposed it was a quirk from the hero serving his princess in many past lives.

Was she still acknowledging them as the reincarnated hero and princess after all this time? She could never fully disbelieve it. She always thought Zelda Senior and Rune foolish for trying to deny their children their destiny, and yet Impa found herself doing the same thing nine years later.

Perhaps she should peak at the stars.

The city lights had dimmed just enough at this hour for the stars to shine through. To the untrained eye, it would just be a handful of sparkles sprinkled across the sky, but Impa observed the intricacies of their placement and the subtle way in which they twinkled. The stars sent Impa the very message she dreaded.

_It's time._

* * *

A faint glow emanated from the crumbling entrance to the Temple of Time. The light of sunset fireflies traced thin vines and shrubbery. If it weren't for the call that guided Ganondorf to his destination, he would have stumbled around in the dark. There wasn't enough signal for the navigation app.

To entertain himself for the hours Link refused to show up, Ganondorf had drained his slate's battery dangerously low. Now he sat in boredom outside the entrance. Ordinarily, he would have entered the Temple of Time as soon as he reached it. So what if Link hadn't arrived yet? That was on him. The call of the sword urged him to wait. His friend would be here soon, and they could venture forth together.

A rumbling engine approached. Ganondorf squinted at the approaching headlight. The bike parked some distance away as the roots had become too thick to drive over. Footsteps crunched through the leaves. Ganondorf smirked when Link's face came into the dim light.

"I knew you couldn't resist."

Link surrendered with a chuckle. "Fine, fine. You were right, oh Mighty Ganondorf."

"Kept me waiting though," Ganondorf said as he stood. "The bugs don't make great company you know."

"I'm here now," Link said, striding towards the curtain of vines. "Let's see what the sword wants."

The friends fought through the shrubbery, descending the rough incline that was once a staircase. The deeper they went, the more their sounds echoed through the hall. The glow brightened with each step. It beckoned them closer, closer, closer.

"Argh!" Someone tumbled down the slope behind them. Link and Ganon whipped their heads around. Zelda was crumpled on the ground, picking twigs and leaves from her hair.

Link rushed to help her up. "What are you doing here?" he asked sternly.

Zelda gaped at him. "What am I- I should be asking you that!" she said. "I'm here to stop you." Ganondorf's laughter rippled through the hall. "Shh! Ganondorf, someone could hear us."

"If you wanted to stop us, you wouldn't have come here yourself. That's 30 rupees for a rideshare and then a trek through these _eerie woods._ "

Zelda's face flushed. "Don't you psychoanalyse me. Impa is at work, and the police would have-"

"Just admit it," Ganondorf said smugly, "You're being called here too."

Zelda crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air. "Am not! If I wanted to see the sword so badly, I would have looked up images online."

"We didn't mention a sword," Link said. Ganondorf snickered.

"Oh, shut up, both of you!" Zelda shoved past them. "You're the ones who want to see it so badly. I say we get this sight-seeing over and done with so I can finally convince you to go home." That elicited a chuckle from Link and another roar from Ganondorf, but they eagerly followed.

They ascended a flight of cracked marble and passed through an archway. The high, dome-like roof was half-eroded. Branches wound through shattered windows. An ethereal rain of leaves danced in the moonlight. The sword's glow dwindled to reveal the Triforce etched in steel.

It was beautiful.

Unlike Link and Zelda, Ganondorf did not dawdle. He marched up to the blade and clasped his beefy hands around the hilt. He yanked with all his might, but the blade refused him. "It-won't-come-out," he grunted.

"That's because you're doing the wrong technique, Ganondaft." Zelda strode forward and waved him away from the sword. "You can't just brute force it. You have to loosen it up first." She grasped the hilt and attempted to jimmy it back and forth. When it refused her as well, she pushed it with all her weight on one side and then the other. Nothing. "Well, we came and we saw," she said. "Might as well go home now."

"Oi, what about Link?"

"Oh please, you're physically stronger than Link by far. What makes you think he could do it?"

As Zelda and Ganondorf bickered, Link reached for the hilt and pulled. He expected to be as unsuccessful as his friends, for the sword to refuse him as its master, but it did something that made Link's heart burst from his chest.

It budged.

Light shone from where sword met stone. Link pulled harder, but he could not draw it any further. "Help me," he called.

Zelda and Ganondorf's jaws dropped. They rushed over and grasped the sword with both hands. As they pulled, an opposing force challenged them, dragging the sword back down as if it were weighted by several dozen bricks. The trio pooled their might. Bit-by-bit, the sword rose. The moment it released from its pedestal, a wave of energy knocked them onto their rears. It was every colour and every sensation at once. Beyond comprehension and yet so, so familiar.

Then it vanished.

Link's left hand held the sword. It tingled with warmth. Zelda and Ganondorf's hands felt the same. Before they could examine why, a slow clap cut through the silence.

"Bravo. A magnificent moment to witness. To think that it took power, wisdom, and courage to draw the legendary sword." He was a humanoid character with ashen skin, white hair, and a red trench coat embroidered with ancient Hylian lettering. "It's a shame that your journey must end where it began."

Ganondorf was the first to his feet. "Who are you?" he barked.

Ghirahim's face fell. "Don't you remember me, Master?"

"Master? I am the proud master of no one but myself."

"My liege, surely you-"

"If you are my servant," Ganondorf growled, "then tell me who you are."

Ghirahim bowed. "Very well," he said. "Perhaps your memories are still hazy. I am Lord Ghirahim. In a past life I served you for millennia. As for why I'm here…" He snapped his fingers. A black sabre appeared in his gloved hand. "I have come to snuff out your enemies for you."

With unnatural speed, the demon rushed at Zelda. Link threw himself between them. The Master Sword parried the sabre. Ghirahim slashed and slashed. Link blocked and blocked. An opening. Link thrust. Ghirahim dispersed into diamonds. He reappeared overhead. Link's blade met the sabre just in time. His legs buckled. Ghirahim pinned him to the ground, sabre pushing hard against Link's defence. "Some hero," he sneered.

Ganon barrelled into the demon. He pinned Ghirahim's neck to the wall. "What game are you playing?" he spat. "You call me master yet attack my friends. How _dare_ you!"

"F-forgive me, Master," the demon choked out. He kicked Ganondorf hard in the groin. Ganondorf crumpled to his knees and heaved.

Link tugged Zelda's wrist towards the archway. A barrier of gold diamonds blocked them. "My my, Mr Hero," Ghirahim mocked. "If you really are as courageous as they claim, you'd face your inevitable defeat head on." Link shoved Zelda behind him. Blades clashed. Link defended himself and his sister with all the battle prowess he knew. Uncle Rusl's teachings bought time, but not the slightest hint of victory.

Ganondorf recovered and found himself fenced off by another barrier. "Ghira-bitch!" he roared. "I order you to back off the twins right now!"

"Why would I do that," Ghirahim said as he slashed and slashed and thrust and slashed, "when you said you aren't my master? Clearly I don't," Ghirahim kicked Link to the ground, "answer to you!"

Ghirahim thrust. Rubble collided with his head. Zelda raised another piece. "Leave him alone!" With a snarl, Ghirahim dispersed. Link leapt to his feet. Ghirahim reappeared behind Zelda, blade at her throat. All the colour drained from Link's face.

Ganondorf pounded at the barrier. "LET HER GO, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

"I will," Ghirahim said, then he turned to Link, "if _you_ surrender."

Link's hands trembled. This was all his fault. This was supposed to be a harmless excursion to stoke an adventurer's flame. Now Zelda's life dangled before him. Ghirahim would kill her regardless of his decision. He knew that, but he couldn't give up even the slightest chance of her survival.

Zelda, wide-eyed, heaving, and scared out of her wits, refused to suffer a second longer. Just as Link was about to toss the Master Sword aside, she ground her heel into Ghirahim's foot and elbowed him in the ribs. He faltered. She shoved his sword arm away and bolted. Zelda cowered behind her brother. Ganondorf whooped from the other side of the room. "Go, Zelda! That was so badass."

Link grinned. "It was."

Zelda shuddered. "I don't feel badass at all."

Ghirahim's face darkened. "Enough of this foolishness." He snapped his fingers. A whirlwind of black throwing knives surrounded the twins, prepared to rip through their flesh from all angles. Link threw himself over Zelda, but he knew he could not shield her from this attack. Ganondorf's fists thundered against the barrier as he screamed for Ghirahim to back off. The demon licked his twisted smirk with a snake-like tongue.

Smoke bombs fell from above. Ghirahim's concentration broke. The knives vanished. As the smoke cleared, every particle of Ghirahim's body felt a cold, paralysing dread. The broken window framed Impa against a sea of stars. Her side-braid fluttered in the breeze. Red eyes tore through him like a harpoon. Impa peeled back her purple blazer. A collection of well-sharpened knives glinted in the moonlight. He knew those edges well. Too well.

Impa leapt down from the window. Ghirahim dispersed before her feet hit the foliage. The barriers faded.

Ganondorf charged towards the twins. Impa shielded them. "Why did he spare you?"

He shrugged. "Beats me. Probably thought I'd smash him to pulp." He punched his palm.

"He pinned him to the _wall_ , Impa," Link vouched. To him, this whole "master" stuff was nothing more than a highly unusual case of mistaken identity. "He saved my life."

Impa scrutinised Ganondorf a little longer, then stepped aside. He clapped a hand against Link's back, causing him to stumble a little. "I've never seen such an intense toothpick fight."

As Link playfully shoved him back, Zelda gasped and pointed. "Ganondorf, look at your hand!" She gasped again. "Look at _my_ hand."

Zelda and Ganondorf stared at the back of their right hands as Link checked his left. Three golden triangles glowed faintly upon each of them. For Ganondorf, the top triangle glowed slightly brighter than the rest. For Link and Zelda, it was the bottom right and left respectively.

"Is this the Triforce?" Link asked no one in particular.

"I'm not sure what it is," said Zelda, "but I highly doubt that it's _the_ Triforce."

"Of course it is," said Ganondorf. "What else would it be?"

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm not convinced any of this is even real. Any minute now I'm going to wake up in bed and find myself living my normal life as a normal girl who doesn't have a magical destiny like you're _clearly_ implying."

"Actually, he's right," Impa said. Zelda whipped around, mouth ajar. Impa nodded solemnly. "The three of you have been chosen by the Goddesses for a very important quest."

They reacted simultaneously. Ganondorf laughed triumphantly. Link observed the Master Sword in wonder. Zelda's mouth opened and closed like a fish, emitting several confused and disgruntled noises. Finally, she blurted, "What destiny? What ridiculous fate do I have to juggle with school and the election?"

Impa delved into her pocket and drew out a piece of yellowed parchment with ancient Sheikah characters painted in blue ink. It delicately floated above them. Impa clenched her left hand into a fist. The paper scrunched itself into a ball. She snapped her right and the ball burst into purple flames. The ashes swirled around the group, conjuring the illusion of a green hill before Hyrule Castle. No skyscrapers surrounded it. Fluffy clouds rolled through a bright blue sky. A gentle breeze tussled the flowers at their feet.

"You've heard the legends," Impa said. "Around two-thousand years ago, magic existed in this realm. It manifested as dragons, spirits, and spells." As Impa mentioned the manifestations, they appeared. Serpentine beasts circled distant mountain summits. A traveller offered fruit to a nearby statue and a korok poofed into view. In Castle Town, mages levitated wooden beams for a construction project. "But it also manifested as monsters, destruction, and darkness." The sky darkened to blood red. Ashy clouds rushed overhead. The ground shook and cracked open. Hordes of monsters rushed towards the castle.

Link's hand tightened around his hilt before he could think, but his feet were rooted in place. The monsters poured into the city. In seconds, the screams of the townsfolk melded with roaring flames.

"The king of the monsters was after the most powerful magic of all." Three orbs of light converged above Hyrule, forming the Triforce. A cold laughter rumbled through the land as the hulking silhouette of a boar-like man emerged from the chaos. Greedy hands lunged for the powerful relic. Just before he claimed it, the scene vaporised into smoke. "He was a curse that threatened Hyrule through many eons, never allowing the kingdom to be at peace for long." The laughter continued to echo around them. Mocking them. _Taunting_ them. "Fortunately, the Bloodline of Hylia and the Spirit of the Hero always rose to subdue the evil." Shadows of battles long past clashed around them.

"The princess and the hero grew weary of this vicious cycle, so they devised a plan to annihilate it for good." The smoke dispersed to reveal the ruined Temple of Time, only they weren't alone. Two figures knelt on opposite sides of the pedestal. One was a clone of Zelda, though she wore a white, ceremonial gown with gold bangles. The second held Link's features, and he wore the iconic green tunic from all the stories and artworks. They were surrounded by six medallions of various colours. "They used the elemental medallions to channel all the magic of Hyrule into the Master Sword…" The hero unsheathed the sword on his back and pointed the tip towards the pedestal. When the princess's hands closed around the hilt, the medallions rose and glowed as they fed the magic into the blade. "…and they sealed it away for good." The pair thrust the sword into the stone. There was a blinding light. The illusion faded.

"But we just witnessed magic," Zelda said. "From you, Ghirahim, and that supposed Master Sword." She pointed at the blade on Link's back. The sheathe had materialised when no one was paying attention. "If it's supposed to be gone forever, why is it coming back?"

Impa crossed her arms thoughtfully. "I don't know," she said. "Old texts imply that magical seals fade over time. Your past lives didn't know if the solution was permanent, so they put some contingencies in place."

"What contingencies?" asked Link.

"You'll find out eventually," she said. Link scowled.

"There's something I don't get," Ganondorf piped up. "The twins are the princess and hero reborn, but what about me?"

Impa thought for a moment. An answer tugged at her consciousness, but the glowing symbol on Ganondorf's hand dismissed it. "I'm not sure, but it's clear that you've been chosen by the Goddesses as well. Help Link and Zelda on their quest, and your part should be revealed in due time." Ganondorf was visibly displeased with the answer, but he accepted it with a curt nod.

"If magic is threatening Hyrule," Link said, "then I want to do something about it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote a prologue for this story which depicts some of the mysterious events mentioned in this chapter, but I chose to cut it since it was a lil cliche and I figured that Chapter 1 would be a stronger first impression. Judging by the glowing feedback I've received on this website and Fanfiction, it seems like I made the right choice. I do intend to post the "prologue" as a spin-off oneshot, but not for another (checks outline) 32 chapters maybe? Or I could do it around the 27th chapter mark. Hmm… I guess I'll have to leave that a mystery for now ;)
> 
> Also if you ever want to interact with me more or see some sneaky peakies of future chapters, you can follow me on Tumblr. I'm in a bunch of fandoms but I tag religiously so you can blacklist anything you don't clogging up your dash. For anything specific to this fic, you can search for #the magic awakens on my blog. Username is @scarlet-curls


	3. Forest of Vines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link is assigned his partner for Language and Literature Studies. Our main trio discover their first objective.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot believe Nintendo was radio silent for so long and then out of nowhere slapped us with "New BotW prequel in 2 months lol. Happy holidays, everyone!" like what the FU-
> 
> Also I'd like to proudly announce that we no longer have a backlog of five drafted chapters. It has grown to SIX! Chapter 10 is in the works and might be my favourite so far.

In Language and Literature Studies the next day, Link's mind reeled from the previous night's events. Impa's words repeated over and over in his mind.

" _It's up to you to recover the medallions and seal the magic away, before the cycle of chaos starts anew," she said. "But danger will pursue you at every step. You must be vigilant, my boy."_

So, this is what it felt like to have a magical destiny. Actually, Link still didn't know how it felt, as he still hadn't made up his mind about it. He would liken it to winning a lottery that you never entered. Except the prize was something as impossible and magnificent as a real-life star packed into a briefcase. And to get to the briefcase, you needed to navigate past an extensive obstacle course that not only had you jumping through flaming hoops and the like, but also required that you learn how to break the laws of physics. Oh, and the course was completely obscured by thick mist.

At least Link had responded to this massive revelation far better than Zelda. That morning, as Zelda prepared breakfast for the both of them, she recounted the strangest lucid dream she'd had that night. Link told her that it was no dream, and when Zelda laughed it off, he summoned the Master Sword right then and there. It startled her so much that she smacked her head against the floor. In hindsight, Link probably should have compared the Triforces on their hands, but at that point, Zelda was utterly convinced that any proof confirming their magical destinies was a concussion-induced hallucination. She also insisted that no, she was _not_ too concussed for school that day, and she _could_ finish making breakfast and go about her day as normal, because everything was normal. Link had suffered enough concussions to know that Zelda was fine, but he could hardly blame her how she reacted. He was still struggling to comprehend the reality himself.

"Mr Harkinian?" Mrs Twinrova droned. Link snapped back to reality. "You will be partnered with Ms Ozul on this project." Link and Midna's jaws fell open. "Please join her."

As he gathered his things, his mind finally drifted away from destiny and towards Midna instead. They would be spending a lot of time together, right? Perhaps they would finally move past The Incident. Link could learn more about this rift between them and help close it. Who knows? Maybe he could impress her with a few daring stories from his adventures. Oh wait, she's the daughter of a police captain. Nayru's love! If he got on her bad side…

Midna typed furiously on her tablet as Link awkwardly slid into the seat on her right. He thought about what he should say and figured a friendly greeting would be harmless enough. "Hey-"

Her stylus pointed directly between his eyes, poised to puncture. "Listen up and listen well," she said. "I intend to get top marks on this assignment, and I don't have the time to babysit slackers like you. Pull your weight and do exactly as I say. Got it?" The ability to form words escaped Link. He could only muster a slow nod. "Good." She resumed her note-taking. "Are you familiar with 'The Wolf and the Imp'?"

He smiled. "It's one of my favourites."

"That's our presentation topic." She closed the notes app and opened her calendar. Link had never seen a schedule so crammed. "Meet me at the castle library at 6pm tomorrow. _Don't be late._ " He nodded.

They swapped contact details just before the bell rang. Midna was out the door before Link could finished packing. With a sigh, he filed out of the room with the rest of the class. The moment he stepped beyond the doorframe, someone seized his arm and tugged him down the hall.

"C'mon, Zel. You could've asked me to follow you."

"Sorry, sorry." Zelda released him. "I'm just really excited! I think I know where the first medallion might be."

Link blinked at her. "Medallion? You got a concussion or something?"

Zelda spun on her heel, pinched his ear, and dragged it down to her lips. "We will never speak of that again," she whispered. Link cracked up. Students turned their heads. He couldn't stifle it as Zelda dragged him to the school library.

They rounded a bookshelf to the table Ganondorf was seated at. He quickly shut a book. Zelda's eyes narrowed at the unlidded pen in his hand. "Are you graffitiing the history books again?"

"Nah," Ganondorf said innocently. "Just changing them a bit. You know, for accuracy."

Zelda snatched up the book and rifled through. "Forgive my perspective, but I don't think referring to the Hylian colonisers as 'smelly dipsticks' is the best approach."

"That's exactly what a coloniser would say," Ganondorf teased. "And it's pronounced dipsh-"

"Guys, focus." Link slipped into one of the chairs. "You wanna show us something, Zel?"

"Ooh, yes!" Zelda pulled out her slate and took a seat. "In Home Room, Saria was distraught because her grandma has some really nasty vine growth at her estate."

"Damn. Talk about empathy," said Ganondorf.

Zelda glared at him for the interruption. "When I asked more about it, she mentioned that her grandma lives with her three sisters in a mansion in the woods." Zelda placed her slate in the centre of the table. It showed the birds-eye view of the estate which had an overgrowth of the thickest vines Link and Ganondorf had ever seen. They seemed to pour from a rooftop greenhouse, though it was too difficult to tell what was inside. "The sisters are very wary of outsiders, so they had Saria come over to examine the issue and see if there was a way to deal with it themselves. She couldn't get very close though, so she used a drone to take this photo."

"Just one?" Link asked.

Zelda nodded. "When Saria brought the drone down for closer examination, it was hit by something and died shortly after. By then, the phone signal was cut off as well." Ganondorf wooed ominously. Zelda shot another glare.

"I think there's more to it," she continued. "You both know the story of the Poe Sisters, right?" They nodded. "Legend says that they were the guardians of the Forest Medallion during the Hero of Time's era. Doesn't this whole scenario sound similar?"

Link thought for a moment. "Four sisters in a forest mansion isn't much to go on."

"C'mon, Link. It's a solid lead!" said Ganon.

"It's our only lead," Link said, "but it's worth checking out." He turned to Zelda. "Where's the mansion?"

Zelda took back her slate. "I'll send you the location."

A few seconds later, Link's slate buzzed. He plotted a route from his house to the destination. "Only 45 minutes from home," he said. "I reckon we go tonight."

" _Tonight?"_ Zelda exclaimed. "Shouldn't we wait a few weeks to prepare?"

"Whoops," said Ganon. "Guess we forgot she's new to this."

Zelda groaned. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but your legally dubious hobby might actually be useful."

"HA! She admits it! Link, did you hear that?" Link wisely remained silent.

Zelda frowned. "I still think it's too soon."

"D'aww, is the little princess scared?" said Ganon.

She flushed red. "I'm not scared," Zelda squeaked defiantly. "But I'm not _stupid_ either. Link, tell him it was a stupid idea."

"It was my idea," Link said. "The longer we wait, the longer those women are trapped."

"If they're still alive," Ganondorf said darkly. Zelda smacked his arm.

"Zel, you don't have to come if you're not ready. Ganon and I can do it."

Zelda sighed thoughtfully. "You make an excellent point. I can spend the weekend researching other medallions. Maybe I could try to unlock this sacred power I'm supposed to have."

"How come Link gets a magic sword and you get magic goddess powers?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr Dragmire. Would you like magic goddess powers as well?"

"Maybe not _goddess_ powers-"

"Sounds like we have a plan," Link cut in. "Ganon, meet me at the mansion at 5:30." Ganondorf's slate buzzed with the coordinates Link had forwarded. "Bring a weapon."

"Ah, okay. Thanks for the tip," Ganon said sarcastically. "I was going to try hacking through those vines with a book or something."

Zelda slammed her hands on the table. "With Hylia as my witness, I swear I will never let you harm another book ever again!"

* * *

That afternoon, Zelda insisted on helping Link pack. They bickered about the right approach. Zelda wanted to ensure that Link would have everything that he _might_ need, but Link preferred to pack lightly.

"But you have that magic storage spell," Zelda insisted. "Why not use it?"

"Takes longer to pull from a void than a bag."

"At least you can use magic," she grumbled.

"Hey," Link placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You'll get it."

"Easy for you to say," she said. "When Impa taught you that spell last night, you got it right away. You can't even _explain_ to me how it works!" She mimicked Link's voice. "Dunno know, Zel. Just works for me."

Link chuckled. "Pretty good impression."

"Urgh!" Zelda threw her hands up in the air. "I'm so stupid to worry about you. You can use magic, you have the _Master Sword_ , and on top of that, you know how to explore old buildings. You're going to do just fine on the mission tonight."

"What mission?" Impa stood in the doorframe to Link's room as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She was still dressed in her pyjamas.

"You were asleep when we got home," said Zelda. "We were going to check in with you before Link went to retrieve the Forest Medallion." She explained all the details to Impa who listened patiently.

"Well done on locating the first one so fast," Impa said, "but he's not going tonight."

"Why not?" Link protested. "You heard Zelda. Lives are at stake."

"Oh, Link." Impa rubbed her temples. "You've known about this quest for less than a day. You need to take your time with it. If something happens to you, Hyrule will suffer."

"I'm aware," Link said as he resumed packing.

"I don't think you are." Impa placed a hand on the backpack. "You aren't prepared, Link. You need to train."

"Train?" Link spun to face her. "I've been training my whole life! Ever since I was old enough to hold a sword. Rusl, Dad, and even you have taught me everything I know. I didn't choose it, but I was happy to learn it." He gestured at a pin board of pictographs and protest paraphernalia. "And then when you insisted on keeping me home, where it was 'safe', I trained myself. I learned how to explore, survive, and stare down the barrel of a gun." He ripped the backpack from Impa's grasp and swung it over his shoulder. "I've trained enough. I'm ready."

As Link walked towards the door, Impa's eyes fell to the floor. In truth, she already knew that Link was ready for this. _She_ wasn't. "You're still grounded."

Link rolled his eyes. "You can't ground me from _destiny._ "

"I'm with Link," Zelda said. "Last night, this quest sounded so urgent."

Impa glanced between the twins and sighed in defeat. "I suppose I cannot stop you."

"No," Link said coldly. "You can't."

* * *

The deeper Link drove along the road, the taller and more clustered the trees became. Spots of orange sky bled through the dark canopy. It was dim enough to strain the eyes, but too bright for the headlight to shine. If it weren't for the modern marvel of navigation, Link would have passed the turn off completely.

The road was unpaved, unkept, and narrow. Link doubted that even a car could drive along it. Low-hanging branches raked his helmet and shoulders. The fallen leaves and twigs almost hid the road completely, so Link had to go slow and pay close attention to his surroundings.

If it weren't for Zelda's coordinates, Link would have turned back ages ago. This did not look like the road to a mansion, or at least not one that still had residents. If anything, it resembled the roads that were once well-travelled centuries ago, but merely lead to ruins today. Roads like that led to the Spring of Courage, the Temple of Time, the Great Deku Tree, and more.

By now the sun had disappeared completely. A river of nebula clouds washed through thousands of stars. Link envied the four women who lived under such a beautiful sight.

"Ahoy, Link!"

Birds fled Ganondorf's booming voice. Link inwardly cringed as he waved back. _Way to broadcast our location._ He was relieved to find his friend, but the mansion still eluded his sight. Perhaps they were both lost. When Link's bike slowly approached Ganon, the headlight illuminated vines as thick as tree trunks piled in their path. He parked and dismounted his bike.

"You're late," said Ganondorf. He wore a thin, dark blue coat. It was cropped to not impede the scimitar hilts strapped to the back of his waist.

Link removed his helmet. "Sorry. Impa held me up. Said I wasn't ready or something."

The Gerudo furrowed his brow. "Why would she say that?" Link shrugged. "Don't you think it's weird that she gave you this quest and won't let you do it?"

Link summoned the Master Sword and strapped it onto his back for ease of access. "The sword thinks I'm ready. That's all that matters." He climbed onto the first cluster of vines and lent a hand to heave Ganondorf up.

The climb though the unusual flora was tedious and uneventful for the most part. The vines were an inconsistent tangle that were packed tightly together in some places, or spaced out in others. The road was completely lost under them now, so the friends chose to follow the vines to their source. The deeper they went, the quieter the woods became. It created unease in the duo.

It was Link who broke the tension. "Pretty thick, huh?" he whispered, referring to the vines.

"Thicker than Groose's skull," Ganon whispered back.

Link chuckled lightly. "Thicker than Coro's soup."

Ganondorf shuddered as he remembered the time Link had dared him to skull an entire bowl of the cement-like concoction. If Link was going to jokingly torment him like that, Ganondorf would return the favour. "Thicker than your romantic tension with Midna."

Link groaned. "Not you too."

"Aww, c'mon. I heard Auntie Kotake's playing matchmaker."

"You heard wrong. She's getting back at Midna for always sassing her."

"So, you think you're her punishment?"

Link sighed. "Yeah."

"Then spite Kotake!" Link raised an eyebrow, so Ganondorf continued. "Imagine how pissed Kotake would be if you did well on the assignment, or if Midna actually likes spending time with you."

"I'm not really motivated by spite," Link said, "and Midna still acts like she hates me. She threatened me with a stylus this morning."

Ganondorf laughed so hard that he almost fell into a crevasse between two vines. He caught himself in time and continue on.

"Shh! Keep it down," Link whispered.

"B-but you're the h-hero," Ganondorf chortled as he clambered over another vine, "and you almost got s-stabbed by a h-high school girl on your first day! Oh, we are all doomed."

Link scowled. "Let's focus on the mission."

"Nine years later and she still holds a grudge."

"Ganon. Focus."

"Okay, okay. I'm focus- Ah!" Ganondorf yelped as he tripped over a smaller vine and landed upside-down in a crevasse. His legs kicked the air as his indignant yells were muffled. Link bit back laughter as he stumbled over to him.

After almost being kicked in the face a few times, Link seized one of Ganondorf's ankles. He stopped flailing. Link grabbed the other ankle and heaved, but Ganon was tightly wedged. Link pulled and pulled with all his might, yet the Gerudo would not budge. Something about this situation struck Link as odd. He could have sworn that gap was decently wider when he crossed it. Too wide for Ganondorf to be _this_ stuck.

Ganon's yells became more frantic and breathless. Link drew the Master Sword from his back and sawed away at the vines as fast as he could. They were thick and tough, yet somehow the blade made them loosen. Link sheathed the sword and pulled Ganondorf's ankles again, successfully tugging him out. He gulped down air like he had just broken the surface of water.

Link finally allowed his laughter to burst forth. "Do you have any idea how bloody stupid you looked?" Ganondorf shot him a glare. "Oh c'mon. Serves you right for teasing me."

"Sure. Laugh at your best friend who almost got suffocated by killer vines."

Link almost called him out for being dramatic, but paused. The vines were now around a metre apart. "I'm sorry," Link said. "Let's move on."

"Gladly," Ganondorf grumbled.

The friends continued on in silence, stepping carefully. Link periodically checked the navigation, though they had lost signal a while ago. _How far do these vines go on for?_

At last, a shadowy structure loomed just beyond the thinning trees. It was a mansion perched atop a rocky hill, as if it were the last spot of civilisation in a lonely, post-apocalyptic world. The bricks and roof tiles were dark grey, almost black in the darkness. Atop the mansion was a rotunda and Link presumed that the greenhouse was just out of view. Vines cascaded from the rooftop, threading through broken windows, crossing the many gardens, passing through a shallow creek, and disappearing into the trees. A string of stepping stones wound from the double garage to the stained-glass French doors perched above it.

Everything was still. Everything was quiet. Everything was gone.

A single light floated past frosted glass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always intended for Ganondorf to be the comic relief of our main trio, but somehow Zelda became the funniest character to write about. At least they both shone through in this chapter.
> 
> What was your favourite line from this chapter? Mine was "With Hylia as my witness, I swear I will never let you harm another book ever again!" XD


	4. Sisters of House March

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they explore the mansion together, Ganondorf accuses Link of killing his vibe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you know that the Poe Sisters are named after the main characters from ‘Little Women’? That’s why I chose to give them the same last name. Do I own the book? Yes. Have I read more than five pages? No. Did I read the wiki just to write this arc? Absolutely.
> 
> Also quick disclaimer: I mean no offence to larpers. It looks like a fun hobby that I would love to try out someday :)

Vines cut through the walls and crisscrossed throughout the hallway. Chiffon curtains floated on a light breeze. Footsteps creaked on wood and crunched on broken glass from windows and the many pictures that once decorated the walls. The pictures displayed many things, from natural landscapes, to ominous abstracts, to the same four women over and over, sometimes accompanied by a young girl with green hair.

"How creepy is this place?" whispered Ganondorf as his eyes travelled the setting. Link shushed him. "Oh, I'm sorry for whispering quieter than the goddess-damned floor!"

"Ganon, I'm serio-"

"Who goes there?" a voiced crooned from behind them.

The friends whipped around. A figure stood near the parlour they had entered into. Her face was shadowed by the tattered, lavender shawl wrapped around her hunched frame. A bony hand held an old-fashioned lantern emitting a warm glow.

Link cleared his throat. "Are you one of the March sisters?"

"Who's asking?"

"We're friends of Saria. She sent us."

The woman shuffled towards them. Link and Ganondorf made their way down the hallway, clambering over the odd vine so the old lady need not trouble herself. When they met in the middle, the lady lowered her shawl to reveal silky blonde hair cut into an angular fringe with two large buns high on her head. Her upturned eyes were a jacaranda purple and light brown spots dotted wrinkled skin. "Who are you?"

"Ganondorf Dragmire." He puffed out his chest. "Male-born Gerudo of the century." He flashed the hand with the faintly glowing Triforce. "Hero chosen by the Goddesses." Link facepalmed, accidentally showing his mark as well.

She snorted with laughter. "I think you got your stories mixed up, Mr," she said, jerking her head in Link's direction. "He's the one with that Master Sword replica."

Link rubbed his neck nervously. "Yeah… We larp." Ganondorf's jaw dropped. "Ganon here is just really in character."

Her eyes narrowed. "Larping? On _my_ property?"

"Uh…" Link willed himself to come up with another cover story, but his braincells had frolicked off to Hyrule Field.

Ganondorf shot Link a glare that clearly said, _What are you doing?_ Link shot one right back.

The woman planted her hand on her hip impatiently. "Well? I asked who _you_ are. I don't give a damn about your hobby."

Link took a deep breath. Looks like he was winging this, but at least the truth was a good place to start. "I'm Link Harkinian. My sister, Zelda, has homeroom with your niece. Saria's really worried, so we came to check up on you."

Meg circled the pair, examining their weapons. "And you brought props?"

He nodded. "To cut through the vines."

"And kill monsters," Ganondorf added. Link lightly elbowed him.

The woman hesitated before she spoke. "I'm Meg March." She glanced at the vines behind the duo. "I'm not sure how these came to be. When I woke up yesterday morning, the vines covered the entire house and grew deep into the forest. This is nothing short of magic."

"Well, as _larpers_ ," Ganondorf said, "We know a lot about magic." He glared at Link as he said his next words. "We're _huge nerds_ , aren't we, Link?"

"Complete dorks," Link said. "We base our roleplays on the Era of Magic, so we're well-read on this kind of stuff. We think that the Forest Medallion might be responsible for this."

Meg gasped. "I knew there was something strange about that old coin! Come with me." She ambled towards a nearby study and the boys followed. Meg retrieved some stationary. "My youngest sister, Amy, collects all sorts of artefacts," she said as pen scratched against paper. "A few weeks ago, she obtained her dream item. The Forest Medallion. You know the backstory behind it, yes?"

"Yep," the friends said together.

"She wanted to have it as the ultimate symbol of our sisterhood, but something about the medallion seemed off."

"How so?" Link asked.

Meg did not answer as she completed her final scribbles. "Here," she said, shoving the paper at Link. "I've drawn a rough map of the estate. Use it to find my sisters and tell them to meet me in the drawing room." Ganondorf gazed at the map over Link's shoulder. Three of the rooms were marked with an "x", presumably the bedrooms of the other three sisters.

"Seems easy enough," said Ganondorf. "We'll save your sisters before the next cucco cries."

"It's already midnight," Link said. "Let's go."

"Good luck," Meg called after them. "And thank-you."

* * *

Link and Ganondorf trekked through the house, though the map only made the task slightly easier. The house was a convoluted maze with random hallways and rooms completely blocked off by vines or rubble. Their only accomplishment was finding Amy's bedroom, which looked like a well-organised dragon's horde. Shelves lined the walls, displaying various trinkets and pictures of Saria in vintage frames. Ganondorf and Link swept the room three times over, yet the Forest Medallion was nowhere to be found, and neither was Amy.

Dejected, they pressed on. Ganondorf attempted to crack a few jokes, only to be shut down by Link rather bluntly. "Focus," Link said over and over. As if Ganondorf wasn't focusing! For Din's sake, what's wrong with a little laughter to punctuate the whistle of the wind or the creaking of doors? But as much as Ganondorf wanted to, he did not once bring it up. Because as Link made _abundantly_ clear, they had a job to do.

As they hacked through some vines to clear a dead end, Ganondorf stole several glances at the Master Sword. The blade had refused to budge for him alone, but it had only released with his help. It slashed through the thick vegetation with relative ease compared to Ganondorf's scimitars, even with his superior strength. No, he was absolutely _not_ jealous. He was just curious. His best friend was heroic, passionate, driven, caring, and more, but Ganondorf was all those things too. He went on those adventures _with_ Link. He led civil rights protests with Link by _his_ side. He chained himself to fences and glued himself to roads and lay across train tracks and Link joined _him._ All the heroics that made Link worthy of the sword should make Ganondorf worthy of it as well.

"Hey, Link?"

Link hummed in response as he sliced through another curtain of vines.

"I wanna lift the Master Sword."

Link furrowed his brow. "We need to-"

"Focus. I get it." Ganondorf sheathed his swords. "But right now, I want to focus on something else for a moment. I wanna know why I'm here, or what role I've been chosen for."

Link paused to think for a moment, then he spun the sword in his palm and handed the hilt to Ganondorf.

Ganon reached out eagerly, but as soon as Link let go of the sword, it plummeted. It clattered against the floor, pinning Ganondorf's fingers under the hilt. It felt like a single tonne packed into a small rod. He heaved and heaved, yet no matter how much strength he summoned, the Master Sword would not yield.

"Need some help?" Link asked.

Ganondorf shook his head as he kept trying. Minutes passed by, and he did not relent in his efforts until Link lifted the sword himself. "Hey!" Ganon snapped. "I almost had that."

Link said nothing as he resumed cutting through the vines. Ganondorf sighed and drew his scimitars. Every layer they cut through always had another beyond it, and when orange light crept through nearby windows, they finally relented. They backtracked towards the entrance, hoping to find another way into the blocked-off areas, only to find several vines in the way.

"Oh c'mon! We definitely came this way," Ganondorf snapped at the vines.

Link checked the map, marked with all the routes they had taken. "Seems like it," he said, then he yawned. "But maybe I plotted our path wrong."

Ganondorf yawned as well. "Doubt that. You're great at this kind of thing."

Link smiled weakly. "Yeah but… maybe I'm just tired."

It had been almost a full day since they had last slept, and both struggled to keep their eyes open and their minds sharp. They went into a nearby room with two vintage couches set across from each other. Ganondorf couldn't comprehend why mansions were so obsessed with having multiple living rooms, but he couldn't comprehend much in his sleep-deprived state anyway.

The boys chose their couches and fell asleep in moments. Each dreamed of destiny, though in vastly different ways.

Ganondorf watched as Link and Zelda collected the medallions, defeated evil, and basked in glory. He stood behind them. In the shadows. Toiling in obscurity. He helped them, hadn't he? He played a key role, right? He held a piece of the Triforce just like them. Why would the Goddesses deny him his moment of triumph? Why would they deny him his legacy?

As for Link, his mind replayed Impa's vision of Hyrule burning under a blood red sky, but the scene never vanished. At some point -Link wasn't sure when- the old world shifted into the new. The screams morphed into those of Zelda, Impa, Ganondorf, and more. And where was Link? Nowhere. Dead. A non-entity. Doomed to witness this scene for all eternity.

* * *

Link awoke the moment a gust threw him into a nearby wall. He crashed to the floor, along with a few picture frames. His eyes flicked about. Both couches were upturned. Ganon ran to the doorway, swords drawn. Another gust threw him back.

An ivory, feather-shaped boomerang returned to the hand of an elderly woman in the doorway. She had choppy, straw-like hair tossed into a spikey ponytail. Her angular eyes were the colour of jasper. They locked onto Link. She raised the boomerang.

"Wait!" Link said. "Are you Joelle?"

"Begone, trespassers!" she yelled and threw the boomerang at him. Link rolled out of the way and snatched up his sword.

He held up an open palm. "Please listen!" She threw the boomerang again. Ganon righted a couch and Link dove behind it. The boomerang curved and rebounded off the narrow strip of fabric between the their heads. Ganon snatched it and sprung up. The woman ran.

Link sprinted after her. "Joelle," he called. "Joelle, wait!" She was spry for her age, leaping over vines and furniture with agility comparable to Link. He rounded each corner as she disappeared around the next. Not a single dead end obstructed them. Until the final corner. He almost skid into a pile of rubble and vines. Joelle was gone.

A door burst open behind him. He whipped around. A crossbow pointed at his heart. "Drop your weapon," she barked.

Link gingerly placed his sheathed sword on the ground and slowly straightened with both palms raised. To think that less than five minutes ago, he was in a deep sleep. Now he was more awake than ever.

"You're going to stay right where you are," she said slowly.

"I need to-"

"Up-bup-bup! Not a word." She kept her eyes and weapon trained on him as she drew her slate from her pocket. "Fi," she said. The assistant software greeted her. "Call the police." Link's heart thumped harder.

"I'm sorry, Joelle," said the robotic voice of Fi, "but there is no internet access."

"Still? Urgh." She shoved the slate back in her pocket. "New plan." She cocked her head down the hallway. "Basement." She circled him. The cool tip of the arrow at his back nudged him forward.

Just as they passed an adjacent door, a familiar gust knocked Joelle off her feet. Link spun around and tried to yank the crossbow from her. She fired a shot. It scratched Link's cheek. He winced. She kicked him in the stomach. He stumbled back. She fired. Another gust blew her arrow off course. Ganon joined Link's side, boomerang in hand. He angled it at Joelle.

If Joelle fired again, she would be swiftly knocked out by the boomerang, but if Ganon attacked, Link's rapid heartbeat would cease forever.

"You're both thugs!" Joelle snarled. "How _dare_ you come and loot our property."

"We aren't-" The twitch of the crossbow cut Link off.

"Shut it!"

"No, _you_ shut it!" Ganon yelled. "If you had listened to us from the start-"

"This is life and death! I don't have to listen to you."

"What's going on here?" Meg's voice carried down the hall.

"Stay back, Meg," Joelle urged.

Meg sighed. "You there." She pointed at Ganondorf. "Explain."

Ganondorf glanced between the stolen boomerang in his hand, Joelle on the ground with her crossbow raised, and Link's hands begging her not to shoot. How in Din's name _could_ he explain it?

"We were taking an innocent nap," Ganondorf explained. "And then this Joel person attacked us with a boomerang."

" _Innocent nap?_ " Joelle screeched. "It's not innocent if it's someone else's house."

"Joelle, please," said Meg. "There's clearly been a misunderstanding. These are Saria's friends. They're here to help."

Joelle eyed Ganondorf's scimitars and the boomerang he held high. "Oh really? They didn't say."

Several indignant phrases passed through Link's mind. If he didn't have a crossbow pointed at him, he would have facepalmed. Fortunately, Ganondorf's temper was enough for the both of them. "We tried to, _several times!_ "

"Now, now." Meg shuffled between them. "Let's lower our weapons, shall we?" Joelle and Ganondorf did so, slowly and reluctantly. "Gently does it," Meg soothed. "That wasn't so bad now, was it?" Link could finally breathe easy as he leaned against the nearest wall.

Joelle glowered at Ganondorf. "I do believe that's _my_ boomerang."

Meg rolled her eyes. "After what you just pulled, I think you've lost your boomerang privileges until you hear what these boys have to say."

Joelle frowned. "Fine. Defend these strangers, oh darling sister of mine."

The eldest sister relayed all that Link and Ganondorf had explained to her, except she changed one crucial detail. "I believe that these boys are chosen by the Goddesses themselves, to solve whatever is causing this mess."

Link's eyes widened. "We're just fanboys."

"Apparently they ' _larp'_ ," Meg said with air quotations.

Joelle snickered. "Seriously? That's the worst excuse I've ever heard."

"I agree," said Meg. "They have the markings and the sword to prove it."

"Really? Let me see." Ganondorf sported his mark proudly while Link showed his with reluctance. "And the sword?"

Link grimaced as he rubbed his neck. "Uh, you made me drop it."

Meg glanced between her sister and the young boy, then she burst into a fit of giggles. "Oh my, perhaps Joelle should be the chosen hero instead."

Joelle laughed with her as she stood. "Maybe I can pick it up," she joked. "I'll show you where it is."

As Meg and Ganondorf followed Joelle, Link trailed behind to silently wallow in shame. After (he checked his slate) 18 hours since starting this quest, he was bested in combat by a woman in her 80s, lost the Master Sword, and was no closer to finding the Forest Medallion than when they had entered the mansion. The whole time, he'd understood that this wasn't going to be like his usual excursions with Ganondorf, but he did think his experience would make things a _little_ easier.

They only had to pass through a few rooms and halls to reach the area where Joelle took Link prisoner, but the Master Sword was nowhere to be seen. The vine overgrowth seemed denser than before. It wove through a gaping crevasse.

Link peered through the gap as the midday breeze tousled his fringe. Purple glinted from just under the rocky hillside, next to a damp creek bed obscured by even more vines.

"Sweet Nayru," said Joelle. "How'd it get down there?"

He shrugged as he grabbed a vine and lowered himself down. "You two find somewhere safe and sit tight."

"Wait," said Meg. She yanked the crossbow from Joelle's grip (much to her chagrin) and handed it to Link. "You'll need to defend yourself."

"I do believe that's _my_ crossbow," said Joelle.

"And I believe you still owe this boy an apology."

With a humph, Joelle stormed down the hall. Meg ambled after her.

Link stored the crossbow in his pocket void. Ganondorf grabbed a vine parallel to Link's and lowered himself down. "Race you to the bottom?"

"We need to-"

The Gerudo's hands slid along the vine as jumped down the stone. "I can't hear you over the sound of me winning!"

Link rolled his eyes with a smirk and chased after his friend. Ganon, having started the race as soon as he announced it, reached the bottom first. He bounded after the sword. Heavy boots squelched against the creek bed. Link reached the ground seconds later and sprinted after him, leaping and ducking through the vines. When Ganondorf reached the Master Sword, he skidded to a halt. It was tangled in a tight thicket of vines.

Link joined Ganon's side and they shared an odd look, conveying a mutual sense of unease. The vines that were only an inconvenience to them until that point now made them feel like insects trying to navigate a web. But they needed to focus.

The Hylian attempted to yank the sword from the thicket, but the vines held firm. He could've sworn they resisted him. Link turned to his friend, slumped against the rock with his arms crossed. "Cut it lose?" Link asked.

"Oh, so _now_ you act like you need me."

Link furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

Ganondorf put on a mocking impression of Link. _"Ganon, we need to focus. Ganon, stop messing around."_ He stood upright and strode over. "Every time I try to add a little fun to our adventure, you shut it down. Not to mention that I still haven't heard a thank-you for saving your arse from that crazy lady." _I was being threatened with a crossbow,_ Link thought, but he patiently waited for Ganondorf to finish his rant. "What's with you? You're always the one to point out the best places to explore, to stop and smell the nightshade. But now you're as joyless as a purple chuchu."

"Because this isn't like our usual adventures, Ganon," Link said with an edge of frustration. "We're not exploring for fun anymore. We have a goal, and a crucial one."

"I still don't see why the sub-par brooding is necessary."

"I'm not brooding."

Ganondorf laughed coldly. "You're acting like every cliché action hero who 'has a job to do', but you're not that great at doing it."

Link's shoulders sank. "I know." He gazed at the sword forlornly. "I tried meet the challenge, but maybe I've already failed the sword. Maybe it doesn't want me back."

Ganondorf sighed. "Gotta admit, that was some top tier brooding." He strode up to the Master Sword and, with a single slash of a scimitar, cut it loose. It landed with a wet thud.

Link picked it up and wiped off as much mud as he could. "I guess I'm not ready to be some big shot hero."

Ganon snerked. "Nah. You're still regular old Link." He placed a firm hand on his friend's shoulder. "But that guy is enough to get us through this, so let him come out."

Link smiled. He really was lucky to have a best friend like Ganon. "Thanks, mate. And I'm sorry. I'll do better."

"I know you will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact 1: My original vision was to have Link go through this dungeon on his own while Ganondorf pursued a lead on one of the other medallions, but then I realised that I didn’t have enough one-on-one interaction between them so I changed it. It was definitely for the better.
> 
> Fun Fact 2: When outlining this story, I intended to include Fi and introduce her in Chapter 2. She would download herself onto our main trio’s slates as a sort of “magic Siri/Google/Alexa” to cover all magical knowledge that had been lost to time. Unfortunately she was so convenient that her very existence loosened the tension, so I removed her to make the story more exciting. I’m glad I got to incorporate her as an Easter egg in this chapter.


	5. Still as Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ganondorf find the final two sisters, as well as the source of the vine infestation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the last were initially meant to be one chapter, but it was looking to be longer than expected and I wanted to keep a consistent length. I had resolved to only start posting once Chapter 4 had been drafted, but it was always my intention to wait until after I had finished the first dungeon because I rightly predicted that it would be something I'd struggle with. I hope that the final result is enjoyable for you.
> 
> Updated 11 February 2020. Typos fixed.

The second level of the mansion was smaller and cosier, with three bedrooms along a single corridor. One was a guest room completely overrun by vines, while the other two clearly belonged to Joelle and the yet-to-be-found Beth.

Joelle's room was situated next to a gym with some impressively heavy weights. Link and Ganondorf took a break to challenge each other to a weight lifting contest. Though Ganon won by far, Link wasn't to be outdone for long. In Joelle's room, they found some spare arrows and a balcony spying targets affixed to nearby trees. Link initiated a shooting contest, which he promptly won, though Ganondorf landed the only bullseye.

"I got it! Link, did you see that?"

"Yeah yeah, that was pretty good." Link sighed wistfully. "Wish Zelda was here. She'd love this."

Ganondorf quirked an eyebrow. "I didn't know she liked archery."

Link loaded his next arrow with a shrug. "Loads of things you don't know about her."

Beth's room had several dead indoor plants cramped onto her window sill, bedside table, and balcony. Like Amy's room, it was lined with shelves, but they held a disorganised array of botany books.

"Think she'll know how to clear the vines?" Ganondorf asked.

Link shrugged as he riffled through a book named _Plants from the Magic Era._ Somewhere in the man-eating plants section, he stopped on a page with an illustration of a colossal flower. Another picture showed the flower in the centre of a network of vines hundreds of times its size.

_The Tyrannical Dekuphyte_

_A colossal, parasitic plant capable of draining all the water, nutrients, and magical energy from an entire forest. In the wild, this plant not only out-competes nature, but actively slaughters it with no regard for its own long-term survival._

Link turned to the next page, only to see that it had been torn out. "If we follow the vines, we should find Beth."

They followed the route towards the rooftop and refused to stray one bit. They hacked through vine after vine as the first inkling of pink light leaked through cracked walls and windows. When they encountered immovable rubble, Link slipped through the nearest window and climbed around the side of the house until he found and unlocked the next window.

The ordeal gave Link a small boost to his confidence, as hanging onto the side of a tall building while picking a lock was exactly the kind of daring activity he excelled at. The moment he tumbled inside, a shrill scream cut his triumph short.

Link scrambled to his feet and locked eyes with a petite woman in faded blue overalls and a messy top bun the same colour as her sisters'. She lay in a bed of vines loosely circling her limbs. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Link stepped forward. She screamed again.

"Beth," Link said, holding up his hands reassuringly. "I'm here to help. I found Joelle and Meg. They're okay."

Her breathing levelled out lightly, and just as Link thought she had calmed down, she burst into tears. "I-I'm so relieved."

Link carefully knelt beside her. "Mind if I help?" Beth nodded and he began removing the vines from her limbs.

Ganondorf hauled himself through the window and landed on the dusty floor back-first with a huff. "Goddesses, that should've been _easy_." He glanced at his friend. "Hey, Link. Glad to see you found another one. Bit rude of her to scream at your pretty face."

After pulling off the final vine, Link hauled Beth to her feet. "Beth, this is Ganondorf. My partner in crime." His breath caught. "Figuratively."

"Yeah yeah, Saria sent us. We found two of your sisters. Gotta find Amy. Blah blah blah," Ganondorf rambled without getting up.

"That's pretty much it," Link confirmed. "We can explain more later." Beth nodded slowly, yet her shocked expression barely diminished. "Can you tell us what happened here?" he asked.

"Um…" A few tears escaped her lashes again. "It's a bit embarrassing really." She gazed at the vines. "I think this was all my fault." Ganondorf sat up attentively.

Beth took a deep breath. "My sisters and I love collecting things, you see. Amy loves antiques, Joelle loves ancient weaponry. Me? I adore plants. Rare plants. Ancient plants. A few weeks ago, I acquired a rare cut of dekuphyte. They're difficult to keep alive in captivity, but I was willing to try.

"For some reason, I had no trouble at all. Actually, I had the opposite problem. I had to trim it several times a day just to keep it in its pot, but it kept growing." Beth sniffed. "Then, during a midnight trim, it grew so fast that it devoured all my other plants in seconds, and then it tried to devour me. It's vines just… coiled around me. I would have been gone if Amy hadn't pulled me out." Beth gasped and dug at the vines and rubble obscuring the staircase. "Amy! Amy!" she yelled.

"Hey, hey," Link soothed. "It's okay. We'll find her."

"B-but we might be too late," Beth sobbed. "She went up there with the medallion. Said she'd stop it. But she can't stop it." She buried her face in her hands. "It's my fault. I should've stopped her. I should've tried harder to go after her."

"You did all you could," he assured her, but Beth shook her head.

"No. I gave up, and I let the vines claim me."

Ganondorf stood and walked over. "You are a devoted older sister," he said earnestly. "Your concern for her proves it." Her crying softened as she faced him. "I know many strong women, and I know the strong bonds of sisterhood when I see it." He gestured at the remaining rubble. "You made great progress here. Link and I can finish the job."

His deep voice enveloped her, settled her, and with a final sniffle, she backed away from the rubble. "I'll look for Meg and Joelle," she said.

"The first floor is cut off," said Link, but Beth drew something from her pocket.

"That's what you think." The old-fashioned key glinted in the evening light.

Just before she entered the adjacent room, Link called out. "Wait! Do you have the missing page about the tyrannical dekuphyte?"

"Missing page? What missing page?"

"Oh." Link's shoulders sank. "Thanks anyway." With a nod, Beth disappeared behind the door.

Link and Ganondorf used their combined strength to heave the larger debris from the staircase. To loosen some of the bricks and wood, Link would periodically use his sword as a fulcrum, and Ganon would haul the debris away. It was backbreaking work, and just as they were close to spent, the removal of another piece of scaffolding caused the rest of the debris to cave in. The last light of twilight spilled into the dark hall.

Climbing up the slope was difficult as debris shifted beneath their feet. Link made it up first, and he offered a hand to Ganondorf. He heaved him up with a groan and took a moment to examine the scene as he caught his breath.

Beside them was the rotunda that the duo had spied upon entering the estate. Vines crept up the waist high fence and wound around the pillars. Link's eyes traced the vines to their source and his breath hitched in his throat. Resting in the centre of a foundation rimmed by shattered glass was a plump, round bud the size of a bathroom. Poison purple melted into sickly green. Sharp thorns ran down in rows.

The trees surrounding the property were completely bare of leaves. The creek bed was desert dry by now. Murmurs drifted from the rotunda. Link and Ganondorf knelt and crawled towards the wooden fence. Their ears strained for the sound hidden in the rustling breeze.

"Still as stone. It won't find you," the voice repeated. "Still as stone. It won't find you."

They slowly crawled around the fence and Link peered into the rotunda. In the darkest corner, a bundle of emerald green shawls quivered in the corner. "Still as stone. It won't find you."

Link pondered how to greet the final sister. This had to be Amy, and if her sisters were any indication, approaching her the wrong way could be disastrous.

Ganondorf popped up from behind the fence. "Ms March. How are you this fine evening?" Link grimaced.

Amy's eyes bulged, but at least she didn't scream or whip out a crossbow. "W-who are you?" she stuttered.

"Ganondorf Dragmire." He pulled Link to his feet with a single hand. "This is my buddy, Link."

"Your granddaughter sent us," Link explained, dismissing his annoyance. "We found your sisters. They're all waiting in the parlour." He strode over and held out a hand. "We can escort you."

Amy's eyes flicked between Link and the direction of the giant bud. "You shouldn't have come here," she whispered. "It can find you."

"What can?" asked Ganondorf, unaware of the vine coiling around his ankle.

"The Dekuphyte."

The vine ripped Ganon's leg from under him. He thrashed as it dragged him towards the unfurling flower. Link vaulted over the fence and drew his sword. He sliced the vine. Ganon scrambled to his feet and drew his scimitars. They stood back-to-back as vines shot at them from all directions. They slashed and hacked but there were too many. One latched onto Link's sword arm and pulled him from the roof. It dangled him above the salivating flower. Purple, veiny petals met triangles of neon yellow. They surrounded a hole lined with teeth. From inside, sticky pink flesh oozed digestive acid.

It lowered him towards the gaping maw. Link clawed at the vine to no avail. _This can't be how it ends…_

The gale boomerang sliced through the vine and blew him away from the Dekuphyte. He tumbled off the roof but seized the gutter.

Ganondorf caught the boomerang. "Go!" he yelled to Amy. With a nod, she slid down the exit.

Ganon held off the incoming vines as best as he could. Link swung back and forth and vaulted himself onto the roof. Vines shot at him. Each time he sliced one off, another latched. Ganon's duel swords fended off the vines long enough for him to regroup with Link.

"Any idea how to take this thing down?" Ganondorf asked. Before Link could answer, a vine pulled Ganon away by his right arm. He dangled over the flower. With his spare sword, he sliced through the vine. He landed in a wide stance, one foot on each side of the mouth. His arms flailed for balance. The bud slowly closed around him. Link sprinted and leapt. He crashed into Ganondorf's middle. They flew through the gap before it closed.

They scrambled to their feet and sprinted towards the exit, only to skid to a halt. "Oh, come _on!_ " Ganondorf yelled. It was marred by densely packed vines.

As Link spun to face the blooming bud, his foot kicked scrunched paper. A vine shot at him. He dove away, snatched up the page, and rolled into the rotunda. "Still as stone, Ganondorf!" he called. The Gerudo froze mid-swing.

Link gingerly unfurled the sheet. It was the missing page on the tyrannical dekuphyte. He skimmed through. _Bioweapon engineered by evil… vines near the bud can sense vibrations… stomach acid corrodes most materials within minutes..._ Nothing said how to kill the damn thing!

A rattling, rumbling noise from beside Ganon stirred the vines once more. The tips rose, ready to attack whatever burst through the vine-filled passage. A chainsaw ripped through the weeds. The flower shrieked as the vines fled the stairway.

Ganon extended a hand and hauled Joelle up. She dusted off her orange slacks and held her chainsaw at the ready. "Amy said you couldn't take care of a little weed," she said. A vine latched around the body of her chainsaw and attempted to yank it away. Ganon cut it free.

"You're welcome," he gloated.

Joelle sighed. "I deserved that." Following the advice of her sister, she remained completely still aside from her talking. "Figured out how to kill it, yet?"

Link thought for a moment. _What would Zelda do?_ he asked himself. She was always the one who had a solution. Just as he was about to confess that he had nothing, an idea struck him that made him swear to never slack off in science class ever again. "Joelle, find us some metal and matches."

She blinked at him. "What?"

Link rose slowly. The vines near him stirred but did not attack. "We're gonna set it on fire."

Ganondorf whooped.

Joelle's eye's bulged, though her expression fell to apathy soon after. "Oh well. House is destroyed anyway. Might as well start over." She slid down the exit. Vines lunged after her. Ganondorf severed them. The motion forced him back into the fray.

Link lunged for the boomerang stuffed into the back of Ganon's belt and slashed across the air. A strong gust repelled the vines. The duo stilled again.

"What would we do without the Fairy of Winds, huh?" said Ganondorf.

Link vaguely remembered hearing about it from the Hero of Twilight's legend. "She's real?"

"Course she's real." Ganon snatched the weapon back and held it out from his body. "Stay close." Link ducked under his body. Ganon spun on the spot faster and faster, a tornado forming around them to keep the dekuphyte's tendrils at bay. When a voice called from the passage, Ganon released the boomerang. It circled them over and over, widening the eye of the storm until Joelle could toss them the matches and metal weights. Link and Ganon caught the goods as the wind barrier slowly died around them. Joelle ran out of sight.

Ganondorf scooped up the weights as Link caught the boomerang. They sprinted towards the flower. Link covered Ganon with a weapon in each hand. By now, he knew the vines' pattern of attack.

Ganon tossed the weights into the flower and it snapped shut. They retreated. More vines shot from under the bud. They seized their ankles and thrashed them about the roof. Thorns, splinters, rubble, and shards scraped their exposed skin. Bricks and wood bruised their flesh. Link kept a white-knuckled grip on the Master Sword and tossed the boomerang at the bud. It missed. Completely. It curved back around, chasing Ganondorf until he somehow caught it.

As Ganon slammed against the ground again, he seized a particularly heavy and tangled cluster of severed vines. The dekuphyte couldn't rip him away. He kicked the vine around his ankle until it loosened, then blew it away. He sat upright and aimed the boomerang at Link who was still tormented by his tether.

The boomerang chased Link's body around and around until it slit the vine. Link flew through the air and landed roughly on the roof of the rotunda. It knocked the wind out of him. He heaved once, twice, thrice. Air filled his lungs. He glanced over at the bud as it unfurled. The smell of flammable gas drifted into his nostrils. What a welcome smell it was. "Concentrate the gas," Link ordered.

Ganondorf repeated his tornado manoeuvre with greater speed and power as Link pulled the crumpled match box from his pocket. He emptied it into his hand and picked through. All matches had snapped but one. He tossed the useless ones aside and summoned the crossbow, which only took several seconds now. Ganon tossed the boomerang. It rounded the roof in tighter and tighter circles until it concentrated on the flower. Link ripped a thread from the hem of his shirt and tied the match to the tip of an arrow with it. He scratched the match head against the box. A flame hissed. He loaded the bow. The tornado dispersed. Link aimed at the flower's centre and fired.

Flames erupted from its centre like a dragon's breath. A pillar of light in the darkness. The dekuphyte shrieked in agony, its petals thrashing and shrivelling into ash. Once Ganondorf had used the boomerang to extinguish the last of the fire, silence filled the estate. The only sound either Link or Ganondorf knew was the rapid thump of their chests.

They had defeated a tyrannical dekuphyte. They had won. Link collapsed onto his back, breathing in sweet night air tinged by the smoke of their victory.

"Link! Ganondorf!" Meg called from the mangled staircase. "Are you alright? Is it safe up there?"

"We killed it," said Ganondorf. A proud grin coloured his voice. "We'll come down."

Link stored the crossbow in his pocket void and jumped from the rotunda. He hissed as he hit the ground. His legs ached. His whole body ached. Link clenched his teeth as he slid down the tunnel after Ganondorf. Meg eased him upright and led him through the rooms, now unobscured by vines thanks to Joelle's chainsaw. She brought the boys to Beth's room where she had a spare mattress and medicinal plants at the ready.

"You didn't have to," Link said.

"Excuse my dumbass friend," said Ganondorf, having already claimed Beth's fancy bed as she treated him. "I think he likes the pain."

Link chuckled dryly as Meg eased him onto the spare mattress. "What's life without a little pain?"

Meg and Beth tended to their wounds as Ganondorf relayed an epic and boastful retelling of their battle. Meg mostly ignored him while Beth listened intently. Link's chest swelled with pride and sank with dread. Yes, they had just completed an amazing feat of heroism, but how many more of these trials would they have to endure?

No. He shouldn't dwell on that. He could _always_ make it through.

Amy poked her head through the doorframe. "Hello," she said timidly.

"Amy," Beth chimed. "Come in." Amy shuffled inside and knelt beside Link.

"Hey," Link said as Meg wrapped gauze around his wrist. "Sorry for scaring you."

Amy chewed her lip, then drew from her sleeve a large, green coin with three leaf-shaped ridges circling each other. The rim was etched with ancient Hylian text. She held it out to Link. "I heard you were looking for this."

Link glanced between the medallion and the woman offering it. "Are you sure?"

Ganondorf groaned. "I did _not_ kill a man-eating flower so you could refuse the thing we came for."

Link flushed and accepted the medallion. As it touched his skin, there was a tingling sensation, as if he held the essence of life itself in his hand. "Thank-you," he said. "I know it's important to you."

Amy waved it off. "It was to symbolise the love between my sisters and I," she said, "but thanks to you, I still have my sisters. That's what's important."

He smiled. "I'm just glad you're all okay."

"By the way," said Ganondorf. "What's the plan now? We're in the middle of the woods with no signal."

"Joelle is fixing the antenna on the roof," Meg explained. "We'll have to call for help."

Beth's shoulders sank. "But who? We don't trust government agencies."

"I can help out," said Ganondorf. "Gerudo Town runs a crisis shelter for women. It's mutual aid. No nasty government."

The sisters glanced at each other. "Well, if they raised a fine boy like this, then I suppose it's the best bet," said Beth. The sisters nodded.

"I'll call Auntie Rhondson as soon as signal comes back."

As if on cue, Link's slate fired off like crazy. "Ooh, someone's popular," Meg teased. He drew the device from his trouser pocket and turned on the screen. His face paled at what he saw.

Text after text. Missed call after missed call. All from Midna.

The time was 7:30pm.

"I have to go," Link announced. He turned to Ganon. "You can take care of them without me, right?"

"Yeah, but why the sudden rush?"

Link texted Midna to let her know he was on her way. "No time to explain." In a matter of seconds, he gathered his things and rushed out the door.

The three sisters and Ganondorf blinked after him. A few moments later, Joelle poked her head into the room. "Fixed the antenna," she announced. Her brow furrowed. "Where'd the little green boy go?"

Ganondorf shrugged. "Beats me."

"Oh," said Joelle. "Did he return my crossbow?"

Meg rolled her eyes. "Joe, you have 12 other crossbows. That wasn't even your favourite one."

"Well I was _going_ to let him keep it, but since he just took off-"

"There's no room for your bloody crossbows where we're going!"

As the sisters bickered, Ganondorf produced the Gale Boomerang. "Hey, Joe," he called. "Want this back?"

"Keep the bloody thing!" Joelle snapped. "Just don't turn it on me."

"Noted. I'll cross 'poetic revenge' off my to-do list."

* * *

Link's motorbike sped through the forest and wove between cars on the urban roads. He was determined to make it to the library before Midna gave up on him. Even if he was too late to start the project, he wanted to at least apologise. To show that he did indeed care.

Her messages looped through his head. Though his aching body and weary mind begged for rest over study, the thought of Midna seeing him as a selfish, inconsiderate jerk compelled him forward. He had _promised_ to meet her during the only free window in her busy schedule. She had every right to be pissed. The whole situation only vindicated Link's theory that Mrs Twinrova paired them together as revenge upon Midna, because so far, he was proving to be the worst assignment partner ever.

Midna had already stormed halfway down the stairs by the time Link parked in front of the castle. He threw off his helmet and bounded up the stairs, three at a time. "Midna!" he called. She stalked past him. "Midna, I'm sorry."

She spun around. "Really?" she spat. "Sorry for flaking on me? Sorry for wasting my time? Sorry for-" She stopped when she noticed his roughed-up appearance. The cuts, the bruises, the rips, dirt, and bandages. "Oh Farore…" Her rage grew with each word. "Don't tell me you skipped study because you were on yet another stupid adventure! If you broke another goddess-damn law…"

Link's heart stopped in his chest. As she started down the stairs again, he cut her off. "Don't tell your dad," he pleaded.

"I wasn't going to," she snapped, gaping as if he had accused her of murder. "But only because if you get thrown in juvie, I'm screwed for the project." Midna turned away, and he could have sworn that she brushed aside a stray tear.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Oh wow. Everything's _wonderful!_ " she said sarcastically. "Thanks for asking."

"No, I mean…" Link ran a hand through his hair. "He doesn't _blame_ you for being partnered with me, does he?"

Midna bit her lip. "No..." She trudged past him.

"You can blame it all on me if you have to." Link chased her to the rideshare waiting for her. "It's fine. I deserve it."

She paused, her hand on the handle. "I don't want anything to do with you right now." Disappointment weighted every syllable, and that hurt Link far more than her venomous temper ever could.

The slam of the door shook through his entire being. As the car left the premise, the pit in his stomach grew into a boulder. When he had accepted his role as the Goddesses' chosen hero, he was prepared to risk his life. He was _not_ prepared to risk Midna's faith in him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Curious to know what you thought of our first boss fight of the fic. I had initially intended to paste in an exceedingly powerful Big Baba or Kalle Demos, but somehow when writing this chapter, the Tyrannical Dekuphyte came to me and everything clicked into place.
> 
> Also I'd like to announce that I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month this year! It's really just an excuse to further the backlog a bit faster than usual. I'm not going to be super strict about winning. My wrimo username is the same as my AO3 (minus the underscore) if you're interested in becoming buddies.


	6. The One Known as Sheik

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda attempts magic, Link declares an urgent need to study, and Ganondorf chats up the masked prodigy of the shooting gallery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I just outed my fanfiction account to my 1800+ followers on Instagram so if you're coming from there... Hi~! Welcome to my other self-indulgent hobby! If you only know me through my fic writing, then I guess I'm outing myself as a Weird Niche Fashion Blogger. Info on my profile ;)

Zelda sat at the dining table with a mug of tea that had grown cold long ago. She poured over book after book, pausing to attempt a spell or glance at her slate. Still no update from Link. She buried her fingers in her hair, anxiety coursing through her veins as her mind fell back into the loop of worrying about her brother.

She always worried about him whenever he ran off on his adventures or protests, but _this_ was a different thing entirely. Magic and man-eating flowers for Din's sake! After spending a few minutes researching the giant weed in Saria's pictographs to help ease her worries, they only compounded once she realised Link and Ganondorf were up against a tyrannical dekuphyte. For all she knew, that horrific plant could be digesting them at that very moment.

Even if Link and Ganondorf did survive, what was the chance that they could survive the next ordeal, or the next? At some point she would have to join them, lest her complacency doom Hyrule. It was far too much pressure for a straight A student with an election to win.

_Striving to unlock my magic isn't complacency though,_ Zelda reasoned. _It's part of my duty._ She returned to her spell books. Handed down by Impa. The messenger of destiny. A daunting destiny. _Focus, Zelda!_

She reread the passage about a levitation spell, a common cast for beginners. Unfortunately, the instructions were just as vague as the last three times she had read them, but she did her best to follow along.

The pencil lay before her. Zelda stared at it hard, willing it to move just as the book suggested. It theorised that an act of focused thinking manifested spells, yet her thoughts did not manifest. The pencil did not lift, budge, or yield to her. How could something so still mock her so much? She narrowed her eyes, dedicating every braincell she could to the thought of _moving that goddess-damned pencil!_ Nothing but stillness. Nothing but mockery. If Zelda hadn't already witnessed magic several times, she would have sided with the physicists in the Great Magic Era Debate.

She slumped against the table and gazed forlornly at the faint Triforce on the back of her hand, feeling unworthy of its legacy. Footsteps pattered down the stairs. Impa straightened her tie as she entered the dining room. She sniffed the air. "Smells good, Zel."

Zelda checked the timer on her slate. "It should be done in ten minutes," she said. Still no notifications from Link. She sighed.

"You miss him?" Impa asked. Zelda nodded solemnly. Her guardian slipped into the chair beside her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Impa's eyes swept over the books sprawled across the desk. They landed on the pencil placed underneath a paragraph about levitation. "How's the magic training going?" Zelda groaned. "I see."

"There has to be a technique to this, right?" Zelda asked. "Something I'm missing. Willing it to move with my thoughts isn't enough."

Impa plucked the pencil and placed it in front of herself. "Levitation isn't my forte," she said, "but I can demonstrate." Zelda straightened up and nodded eagerly.

Impa tensed her whole body and then relaxed. She meditated on the magical energy coursing through her veins and directed it to her mind's eye. The pencil quivered. The eraser end lifted first, followed by the sharpened tip. It slowly rose, twitching and jerking every so often. When her concentration waned, she gently lowered the pencil. About two thirds of the way down, she lost her grasp. It clattered onto the table.

"Sorry, that wasn't my best."

Zelda's awe-struck eyes darted between the pencil and Impa. "How'd you do that?" she asked.

"Magic is mindfulness," Impa said. "If you can learn to unclutter your mind, you can feel the magical energy within yourself."

Zelda frowned. "I don't mean to be rude, but you sound just like these stupid books," she said. "There has to be more to it than having an empty head."

"Let me guide you through a meditation," Impa offered. Zelda chewed on her lip. She hadn't meditated since she was a child. Her and her mother would sit together by Ordon Spring, close their eyes, and listen to the world. It was a time of peace, of tranquillity, but ever since the accident that took her parents' away, she never had a truly tranquil moment in her inner life. The very idea of sitting alone with her thoughts, stripping back all the noise to sit with the anxiety bubbling beneath, made her feel uneasy. _Very_ uneasy.

"But even if I do feel the magical energy inside me, how does it _move_ the pencil?"

"What do you mean?"

Zelda huffed as she fought to rephrase her question. "What's the physics behind, well, breaking physics?"

"I don't know," said Impa. "And I don't need to know."

"But that doesn't make any sense!"

"Not everything in life does, Zelda. Sometimes things just are."

Just as Zelda opened her mouth to object, the rumble of a motor stole her attention. The moment it ceased, Zelda sprang from her seat. As soon as Link opened the door, she was there. "Link!" She gave him a tight hug. He hissed in pain. "Sorry." She withdrew and gasped at the sore sight. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," he said, a little out of it. "I need to go study." He moved for the stairs. Zelda cut him off.

"I'm sorry, but what did you just say?" Link blinked at her with dark circles under his eyes. "You just came back from some perilous quest looking like _that,_ and the first thing you say is 'I need to go study'?" Tears welled up in her eyes. "For Din's sake, I've been telling you to study when you were actually _fit_ to do so, so don't you tell me that you need to go study _now_ of all times!"

He drew her in for another hug, gentler this time. "I'm fine," he said. "You don't need to worry."

Zelda breathed in the smell of her brother. He smelled of sweat, smoke, and the forest. It wasn't pleasant, but it meant he was present, and that was all she cared about. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Their moment was cut short by the timer on Zelda's slate going off. As she went to serve up the roasted cucco, Impa approached Link. "Hey," she said.

"Hey."

"How'd it go?" Link summoned the Forest Medallion and held it out to Impa. Though her face remained stoic, her eyes marvelled at it. "Good work." She gently pushed it towards Link. "Take good care of it."

Link mustered a tired, but genuine grin. "Thanks."

* * *

After a much-needed goodnight's rest at Zelda's insistence, and an emergency room visit that wasted the whole day, Link was short for time. To catch up on his homework and _especially_ his Language and Literature Studies assignment, he pulled an all-nighter. That Monday morning, he floated through his routine on autopilot. It took him three tries to put his shirt on the right way.

His muscles still ached dully as he shuffled through the campus of Castle Central High like a redead. He wore a forest green hoodie and bowed his head to avoid comments on his bruised appearance. His right hand fiddled with the wrist bracer meant to cover the Triforce symbol. The student body gossiped enough about him and his exploits as is, and he wasn't about to inspire another frenzied spin of the rumour mill.

After homeroom, Link dragged his feet to LLS. He checked that his satchel had his notes, but as soon as he closed it, he forgot and had to check again. He entered the classroom only to realise it was the wrong one, then walked into the correct classroom and tripped over a few chairs before he slipped into the one next to Midna. She acknowledged him this time. Sort of. Midna spun in her chair so her back was to Link. The tap of finger nails against the tablet screen pelted him like hale.

Mrs Twinrova decided to switch things up that day and have pairs discuss the progress of their presentations first, which Midna scowled at, but she still refused to look at Link. He rifled through his bag and pulled out the messy pile of scrawled notes. "Here," he said. She ignored him. "I did all the analysis notes last night so you don't have to."

Midna slowly turned and eyed the notes. Her expression remained sour, but she skimmed through them anyway. Her frown grew deeper with each page as Link nervously waited for her verdict. When she finished, she took a moment to stare wide-eyed at her desk as she massaged her temples. "That," she began, "was the worst thing I have ever read." She looked at him, completely dumbfounded. "It was illegible, stupid, and just plain _wrong_ in some places." Link's heart sank, but as Midna continued to speak, she cracked a smile. "You wrote 'The imp riding the wolf symbolises the wolf being ridden by the imp'."

He chuckled, though he barely remembered writing that part at all. "I guess it made more sense in my head."

"Riiiight." Midna picked up the notes, scooted past Link's chair, and held them high above the waste paper bin right next to Mrs Twinrova's unattended desk. "These are rubbish," she declared, then she dropped them in. The smack made him wince as the other students took notice, but Mrs Twinrova's bark from the back of the classroom had them focus on their own projects once more.

Midna leaned on her palms against Link's desk, just close enough for him to catch a wisp of lilac-scented shampoo. "As you know, I don't have time for slackers," she said, "but I don't have time for redeads either. Do I make myself clear?"

Link spaced out. "What?"

"Urgh." Midna straightened herself and crossed her arms. "What I'm trying to say is…" She fumbled for the right words. "You were an idiot to do _this_ ," she gestured at the bin, "when you needed rest. If we're gonna get that A, you need to be punctual _and_ perky. Got it?"

Link nodded, though he had only heard every second sentence or so. "Yeah, yeah. Sure. Sleep on time. Can do." He yawned and slumped back in his chair, rubbing his eyes.

Midna sighed and made a mental note to recap her point later when he was fit to listen. Though Link was undeniably cucco-brained to do this, she appreciated the effort. For the rest of the lesson, she allowed him to dose off and defended him from Mrs Twinrova's temper when necessary.

* * *

Arrows pinged from bows and thumped into targets. Sheik notched another arrow and aimed for a target fifty metres away. They shot. It soared through the air in a perfect arc. Bullseye. A few of the onlookers gasped.

The archery prowess of Sheik was well-known by all the regulars of Castle City's Shooting Range and Gallery, and the mystery of whose face was behind the white mask and wraps intrigued the locals. The most peculiar thing about Sheik was their bright blue eyes and porcelain skin, juxtaposed by the modernised bodysuit of a Sheikah ninja. That's why locals nicknamed the mysterious stranger Sheik, after the Hylian princess who disguised herself as a Sheikah for seven years to hide from an evil king.

So it was just Zelda's luck when a wannabe-king came to visit her at the shooting gallery.

She had grown bored of landing constant bullseyes, even at great distances, so she headed for the counter to request that Koume (twin sister to Mrs Kotake Twinrova) turn on the moving targets game to the highest speed. After two steps, she froze. Ganondorf was leaning against the counter.

"Hey, Auntie Koume. How's the new job?"

"Beats retirement," she said. They laughed. "Can't chat long unless you're a customer. Pay up or get lost."

"Gimme a minute," Ganondorf said as he leaned back on his elbows. "I'm looking for someone." Panic gripped her heart. She faced away and continued to practice. Rupees chinked onto the counter. "Lend me a golden bow, would you?"

Zelda attempted to still her quickening heart. _Maybe he's not looking for Sheik,_ she assured herself. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep her aim straight. She shot. Not quite a bullseye, but still the innermost circle.

A large shadow slipped into the alley next to her. It loaded an arrow and fired. The shot was so strong that knocked the target backwards. When it hit the floor, the arrow was lodged in the outermost ring. Still, it was impressive that it hit it at all from this distance.

Ganondorf lowered his bow and turned towards Zelda. "So," he said, "you're the legendary Sheik." She said nothing as she notched another arrow. "I was hoping you could help me with something." Zelda pretended to ignore him, though her ears twitched. "The Flag Tally Race Rally is coming up this weekend. There's a very important prize I need to win." He plucked another arrow from his quiver. "Have you heard of the Spirit Medallion?"

The phrase startled her. Her arrow grazed the target. "Maybe I have," she said in a rehearsed low voice. "Should you be mentioning it, though?" The Flag Tally Race Rally was far more than a sporting event. Whoever among the competing youth won was trained to become unofficial matriarch (or, very rarely, patriarch) of the Gerudo, and their official representative in government. Given that Hyrule was _supposed_ to be a democracy, it wasn't exactly legal, but the Gerudo claimed that their elected officials just _happened_ to be really good at sand seal racing. They generally avoided speaking of the race outside their district's boundaries, though not everyone complied.

Ganondorf shrugged. "By the looks of it, you know how to keep a secret." He shot an arrow, but another knocked it off its path.

"Shut up."

His slack jaw broke into a grin. "That was incredible!" He gestured at the arrows scattered across the lino. "And just what I need."

"Shut. Up," Zelda repeated through gritted teeth, trying to hint that _maybe_ he shouldn't be discussing the medallions to a "stranger" like herself.

Ganondorf hummed thoughtfully. "How about a good old shooting match? Just the two of us. If you win, I won't come back to the gallery, and you get to brag about beating the Mighty Ganondorf." He leaned towards her with a smirk. "But if I win, you have to compete in the race with me."

Zelda narrowed her eyes. "I accept."

He straightened his back and faced the counter. "Auntie Koume!" he hollered. "Shooting gallery match. Me vs Sheik." Every pair of eyes in the range locked onto the duo. Zelda cringed.

"What speed, dear?" Koume asked.

"Medium," Zelda answered. She turned to Ganondorf. "Then you _might_ have a chance."

As they crossed the hall from the range to the gallery, a small crowd formed around them, much to Zelda's displeasure.

Koume shuffled over to the other end of the counter to hand the duo a top up of arrows. "The rules are simple," she said. "For the next three minutes, Ganondorf and Sheik will compete to hit as many targets as possible. Whoever has the most points wins. Understood?" The rivals nodded as they loaded their first arrow. "Ready." They aimed. "Set." They drew the string. "Go!"

Targets flew across wires and sprang from the floor. Zelda shot. A point dinged. Ganondorf's first two arrows missed, but the third hit a lower target just before it ducked. He shot arrow after arrow. They often missed but some landed. Zelda took the extra time to aim and visualise. Her shots were often successful, though she still missed several targets. She maintained a steady lead. When the counter had just 40 seconds left, Ganondorf's score crept higher and higher, until they were even with only 10 seconds on the clock. Zelda released her arrow. A miss. Ganondorf shot rapid fire at a single target. An arrow successfully hit just before the timer buzzed. The scores were 20 to 21.

"Ganon wins!" Koume exclaimed. Ganondorf pumped his fist and whooped. Those who had been rooting for the underdog cheered, while others cried out and blamed luck for rewarding the winner's sloppy technique.

Zelda sighed in defeat and held out her hand. "Good game."

Ganondorf grasped it and leaned towards her ear. "I knew it was you, Zelda." Her eyes widened. He drew back and winked at her. Her cheeks burned beneath her mask.

They headed for the lockers near the entrance. Zelda retrieved her sports bag, knelt down, and zipped it open. Ganondorf leaned on his forearm against the wall above her. "So, you must be wondering how I solved your little mystery," he said.

"It was on my mind."

"At the mansion, Link let something slip. I had no idea that sweet little Zelda had a thing for archery, but then I remembered a certain local legend." She disassembled her bow for easy packing. Ganondorf droned on. "I had to see if my hunch was right, so I challenged you."

She zipped up the bag and stood. "I don't see how that proves anything."

"Oh, but it did," Ganondorf said, "because if it was anyone else under that mask, I would have lost."

"Are you saying I'm unskilled?"

"I'm saying you threw the match."

She was stunned. He had figured her out! The medallion quest was to be kept between Link, Ganondorf, Impa, and herself (though they had forgotten to give Ganondorf the memo at first). She either had to lose on purpose or reveal her identity. Now that she thought about it, it was a dead giveaway.

"But why do you need me for the race?"

"You're the only vai I can trust," said Ganondorf. "And your archery skills are the best in the city."

Though she would never admit it, her heart fluttered a little from the complements. Zelda cast her gaze downward. "There's just one problem though," she said timidly. "I can't ride a sand seal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a deleted scene featuring Saria thanking hilariously sleep-deprived Link for helping her family, as well as Ganondorf pestering Link for information about the mysterious Sheik. I deleted it because it felt like filler and kinda gave away the twist in the final scene, but I still liked it so I chose to share it on my Tumblr. Link is on my profile.


	7. The First Spark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ganondorf teaches Zelda how to seal surf and Zelda is Very Not Good At It. Link and Midna finally have the chance to study at the castle library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *gasp* A chapter that's over 4000 words? Oh my, we haven't seen that since the story's debut!
> 
> Also trying a new upload time out. I don't think AEST mornings are helping the story get noticed.

Zelda face-planted into the sand with a muffled yelp. She ripped off her face mask and shook out the sand. Though she was not one for swearing, a few colourful words passed through her mind regarding the chestnut sand seal before her.

Ganondorf's footsteps stopped by her side. "You oversteered again."

"I was trying not to crash!"

He stifled a laugh. "Oh, well it's a good thing you didn't crash." She glared at him as she slipped on her mask.

They were training at an indoor sand racing rink in Gerudo Town. The oval of sand was as the size of an Olympic-sized ice-rink, with light-up targets affixed to rafters for the occasional archer. The purpose of this rink was mainly to teach novices the technique of seal surfing, but during school holidays, they opened it up to the public to fundraise.

The Gerudo graduated to the open desert, located in southeast Hyrule. Moldorms and leevers posed a small threat, but any trained surfer could avoid them with ease. Zelda, on the other hand, couldn't even dodge a goddess-damn wall.

"You need to trust Myla," Ganondorf said, referring to the seal.

"I'm _trying,_ but she always throws me off balance."

"Balancing is your job."

"Then teach me how to balance, oh Great and Mighty Ganondorf!" she snapped.

Zelda wasn't taking to this as naturally as he hoped. He would have to teach her the same way he taught the little kids. "Alright. We're going to go nice and slow," he said. "I'll stay right behind you the entire time. If you fall, I'll catch you."

"Alright." She leaned back in her harness, as if sitting on the edge of a tall chair. Her hands gripped the rope hooked to her harness.

Ganondorf frowned. "I need to fix your stance. Can I?"

Zelda flushed a little but turned away. "If you must." Ganondorf repositioned her arms to extend outwards, and he placed one in front of the other so she could easily steer the board.

"Don't touch the harness," he said. "I want you to get a feel for the seal before you try steering it."

"And you _promise_ to catch me when I fall?"

" _If_ you fall," he corrected, "but yes. I promise to catch you in my strong, manly arms if you fall."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't make me choose the sand over you."

"Ah yes, the manly arms of _sand._ " Zelda bit back a laugh, thankful that her mask hid her smile. She wanted to swing back with something like _"Oh sand, I feel so safe in your manly embrace,"_ but refrained. Being Ganondorf's teammate did _not_ mean they were friends, so she wasn't about to give him that false impression.

Ganondorf stood behind her, arms poised to catch her if necessary. "Ready to set seal?" he asked.

She groaned at the pun, but it did settle her nerves a little. "Yes."

With a soft "Hya" from Ganondorf, the seal sank into the sand and slowly swam through it. Zelda wobbled, arms flailing, but his words soothed her. "Steady. Keep your knees bent." She followed his instructions, allowing her legs to bend up and down with the cadence of the seal. After a few moments, she got the hang of it. He instructed the seal to go a little faster. Again, Zelda fumbled, but only a little. She finally found a sliver of confidence in herself.

Bit by bit, the seal went faster and faster until Ganondorf was running to keep up. With a loud "Hya!" the seal sped forward. He fell back, panting. She maintained her stance and cadence. When she looped around the other side of the rink, she was laughing. "I'm doing it! I'm actually doing it!" A grin spread across his face. It was a sight Ganondorf had seen from all the Gerudo children he had trained. There were few joys greater than witnessing a new rider cross the threshold from self-doubt to confidence.

"What's this?" someone sneered loudly. "Baby's first seal ride?"

And just like that, all her inhibitions were back. Her concentration broke. Her knees locked. Her arms flapped. Ganondorf sprinted. He caught her just before she fell. Cruel laughter echoed from the edge of the rink.

She was a Gerudo woman with angular features accented by a few gold piercings. Her high ponytail was fastened by a gold band. A deep red crop top with a high neckline and matching leggings hugged her hourglass figure. She stood in the gate with a sand seal behind her.

Zelda's head shrank into her shoulders. To feel humiliated by a stranger was one thing, but it was worse when the stranger in question happened to be _attractive_. She averted her eyes.

"Wow, Ganon. A _Hylian_ vai?" The Gerudo looked her up and down. "The mysterious Sheik, no less."

"It's Ganon _dorf_ to you, Aveil" he said coldly. "And yes, I have the best archer in the city on my team. Real upgrade, I'd say."

Aveil rolled her eyes. "You're still salty about that? He's _my_ brother, you know."

Zelda was puzzled by the exchange. Males were exceedingly rare among the Gerudo, and what did Aveil's brother have to do with any of this?

"Yo!" Another Gerudo raced from the opposite gate towards the group. He kicked up some sand at Zelda as he stopped. "Sorry about that," he said earnestly. He wore a purple binder with matching harem pants. His features were sharp like Aveil's, and his figure resembled hers. His chin proudly sported its first few hairs. Zelda remembered reading about boys like him once. The Gerudo called them spirit voe, as they were masculine spirits born into feminine bodies.

"Ah, speak of the traitor," Ganondorf teased.

The boy chuckled. "How many apologies do you need, mate?"

"Hey, Vil!" Aveil snapped. "Stop acting chummy with the enemy."

"I'm sorry, but what is going on?" Zelda asked in her Sheik voice.

"None of your business," sneered Aveil. "Now get out of my way." She and her seal muscled past Zelda, despite there being plenty of room to exit the gate. "Vil" cringed at his sister's behaviour but spurred after her.

Zelda turned to Ganondorf. "Who are they?"

"Our competition," he said. "Aveil's the bitch. Villa is her teammate."

"I'm assuming he was your teammate before me?"

As Aveil completed her first lap, she swerved close to Zelda, spraying her with sand, and sped off with a cackle.

"Urgh!" Zelda brushed off as much as she could.

Ganondorf unhooked the leash from Myla. "Let's take a break." Zelda exited the rink as he commanded the seal to return to the resting bay.

They sat on the bleachers for a drink as the siblings raced each other around the rink. Zelda's gut twisted as she watched them. They made seal racing look so _easy_. It was to them what archery was to Zelda. Both skills took years to master, and now she was expected to learn one of them in just four after school sessions.

"Why are they here?" she asked. "I thought the Gerudo prefer the desert."

Ganondorf smirked. "They're here for you."

"Oh," she said softly. "I guess they won't see me as a threat anymore."

He shrugged. "Maybe they will or maybe they won't."

"You don't seem too worried."

"The way I see it, they'll either be intimidated by you or underestimate you. Both can seal our victory."

"That's not what I'm worried about," she said. The siblings had started a new exercise where they rode in a figure eight around each other. "We're up against the best of the best. The fate of Hyrule depends on us winning this race. What if we don't?"

"We'll get the medallion," he said resolutely. "I promise."

"Oh, you _promise?_ " Zelda's voice rose. "How can you promise anything when we're up against top talent like _them?"_ She jabbed her finger at the competition.

He avoided eye contact. "I don't say it lightly."

Zelda was about to go on another rant about Ganondorf's unreasonable expectations, but a realisation stilled her tongue. Her eyes widened. "You're going to sabotage the race."

Ganondorf grimaced. "You're too smart for me."

Zelda's eyes pleaded him to reconsider "I know you care deeply about the Gerudo," she said. "You can't be okay with this."

He let out a long sigh as he stared at the siblings on the rink. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect my people, even if they end up hating me for it," he said. "And I'm not _that_ dishonourable. If we get away with it, I'll forfeit my right to succeed Auntie Urbosa."

Her fists clenched in her lap. How could he say that? How could he throw away his dream to one day lead the Gerudo? There had to be another solution to this. They could try diplomacy, but could they trust Chief Urbosa? Would she consider their request a great insult? Ganondorf must think so if he thought sabotage was the better alternative. Slowly, it dawned on Zelda that there was no easy solution to their problem. But she refused to let Ganondorf's honour be a casualty in their quest.

She stormed off and bounded down the stairs. Ganondorf's head sank into his hands. She was going to quit, leaving him with no team mate for the second time that week. Lady Luck had it out for the Mighty Ganondorf. For Din's sake, why did he have to make that promise out loud?

"Is the baby seal gonna have another go?" Aveil jeered.

Ganondorf looked up and his jaw fell. Aveil and Villa hung at the edge of their rink with their seals, watching Zelda wobble on her board as Myla led her. The moment Zelda steadied herself, she yelled "Hya!" When the seal quickened, she wobbled again, but found her form in moments. After a successful round, she tentatively reached for the bow upon her back.

Ganondorf leapt down the bleachers and almost smacked into the waist high barrier, right next to Villa and Aveil who were now as silent as a sleeping stalfos. The three Gerudo watched in awe, eager to see how the legendary Sheik would perform.

Zelda's balance faltered as she angled her body sideways to aim. When she drew the string, Myla's curving path caused her to fall on her back. Ganondorf vaulted over the fence, but as soon as his feet hit the sand, Zelda was already on her feet.

"Hya!" Myla accelerated. Zelda poised her bow, ready to draw, but she did not aim. Her body shifted with the cadence and direction of Myla, and Ganondorf realised that she wasn't looking to shoot. She was figuring out how to balance with a bow in hand.

The next time she fell, it was near the Gerudo. Ganondorf made no move to help her this time. He didn't need to.

Aveil rolled her eyes as Zelda took off again. "Just give up already!"

"Shut up!" the boys said in unison.

"What? They're clearly trash," Aveil defended. "If they quit now, they won't embarrass themselves at the rally."

Villa groaned. "Real mature of you, _future Chief_."

Aveil shot a scathing look at Ganondorf. "At least I wasn't arrested four times."

"Two of those were civil disobedience," he shot back. "Defending _our_ rights."

She laughed mockingly. "Yes, because gluing yourself to a few roads _definitely_ makes you the hero of our people, Gan Gan."

Just as he was about to fire back a retort, a loud beep cut him off. The bickering teens turned to the target that had lit up as an arrow spun to the ground. Zelda sped past them as she loaded a second foam-tipped arrow. She fired at the nearest target above her. Another beep. Three jaws fell open, and Aveil's was the widest of all.

And because this was Sheik, they loaded a third arrow and aimed towards the furthest end of the rink. The eyes of the audience followed the arrow as it soared through the air and slammed onto the target so hard that the light flickered.

"Wow," Villa breathed. "That's some vai."

As Zelda passed them on a victory lap, she winked at Aveil. Ganondorf swore he would never forget the look on her face. "Still think Sheik is useless?"

"Y-yes," Aveil sputtered. "Archery isn't gonna win the rally."

Villa shrugged. "If anyone's archery could, it'd be Sheik's."

The sound of tearing metal distracted them. Zelda's final target hung loosely from a single hinge. It threatened to fall. Right on top of Zelda.

She knew. She seized the reign to swerve the seal, but found herself sprawled in the sand beneath the target.

" _NO!"_ The moment it fell, Ganondorf thrust out his hand. Something collided with the target, knocking it just out of Zelda's way. It landed in the sand beside her.

He sprinted to her side. Zelda stared at the ceiling, wide-eyed and heaving. Ganondorf dropped to his knees and helped her up. "You alright?"

"I'm fine. Completely fine," Zelda squeaked. "Couldn't feel any less like a pancake right now."

Footsteps pattered through the sand. Aveil reached them first. She doubled over as the adrenaline left her body. Villa joined her a moment later.

"Come to apologise?" Ganondorf asked coldly.

"What the fuck was that?!"

Ganondorf blinked. "What was what?"

" _That!"_ She thrust a hand towards the target buried in the sand, notably more destroyed than Ganondorf remembered.

"I don't follow."

"You sent a ball of lighting into that thing," Villa said, completely in awe.

"I suppose that explains why I'm not a pancake," Zelda said, forgetting her Sheik voice. She shuddered. "I can't stop thinking about pancakes."

"You can't just throw a goddess-damn ball of thunder and then play dumb!" Aveil screeched.

Ganondorf stared at his right hand in awe. He wore a wrist brace to hide his Triforce symbol, but he wondered if this was a gift that Din's piece had bestowed upon him. He aimed his hand towards a patch of sand and concentrated. Gold, crackling energy gathered in his palm. He thrust. The orb collided with the sand. The cloud settled to reveal a few spikes of glass.

Aveil narrowed her eyes at him. "Explain what's going on. Now."

Ganondorf's eyes darted between the siblings. How could he explain this? Not even he understood it. Naturally, he defaulted to awkward jazz hands. "Magic trick?" he tried.

She tore her hands through her hair. "That was more than a magic trick!" Her breath heaved. "Oh no no no this is _so fucked!"_ Villa stroked her back, though he wasn't fairing much better. His eyes were glued to the destroyed target.

Zelda mentally collected herself and stood. "I think we're all a bit shaken right now," she said. The quiver in her voice was mostly gone now. "We all just witnessed something very upsetting. Our minds are playing tricks on us."

Aveil nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, that's what this is." Her breathing mellowed out. "I think I need to lie down." Villa lead her out of the rink and to the nearest bench. Both his and Aveil's view were now obscured by the wooden railing, so it was safe for Ganondorf to store the damning glass evidence in his pocket void.

Zelda panged with jealousy. How could magic come so easily to Ganondorf as well? He was the first among the Triforce wielders to succeed in any kind of offensive spell, and he did so without even trying. It made her resent him just a little bit more, but if not for his natural talent kicking in at the right moment, she would be a pancake at that point.

Oh Farore, how would she ever get that horrible image out of her head?

"Thank-you for saving my life, oh Mighty Ganondorf," she said. "However could I repay you?"

"How about a silk handkerchief, fair maiden?" he joked.

Zelda giggled. "I can do better than that," she said. "I'm going to help you win that race. Fair and square."

* * *

As someone bestowed with the title of "Chosen Hero", Link felt very unheroic in that moment. That morning, Ganondorf had asked him to help sabotage the Flag Tally Race Rally. That very same morning, he agreed. It didn't make him feel any less disgusted with himself, but if there was one thing he learned when he flaked on Midna, it was that he couldn't be everyone's hero.

At least their afternoon catch-up at the castle library was going well, or as well as it could when one's mind was a jumbled mess of Hyrulean folklore and stressing over the _sabotage one of the most important cultural traditions in Hyrule._

"What do you think the mirror symbolises?" asked Midna.

"Betrayal!" Link blurted out.

She tilted her head. "Explain."

How did he keep finding himself in these situations? "Uh, when the imp shattered the mirror, she severed any chance of the wolf seeing her again. That betrayed their friendship."

"Hm…" Midna pressed her stylus to her purple-painted lips as she thought about what he said. Link fixed his gaze on his notes. Her thoughtful expression was too much for him. "It's an interesting interpretation," she said. "The imp thought that shattering the mirror was necessary to prevent another war, but maybe she was wrong. Maybe she could have left the portal open for the realms to coexist, but fear got in the way."

Link was thoroughly impressed with his conversation salvaging skills. "Their friendship represents what could have been."

Midna smiled. "I think we found our thesis," she said. "Thanks, Link. You're smarter than you look."

He was a little taken aback by the compliment. Was it backhanded? Yes, but he had observed Midna long enough to know that all her genuine compliments were masked with a backhand. And they were _rare._

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me," he said with a smirk.

"Doesn't take much to stroke your ego, does it?"

"Beggars can't be choosers, so I'll take what I can get."

She crossed her arms. "Then beg." Her words sent a delightful chill down his spine. "If you're going to derail us every time I say anything vaguely nice, then I suppose insulting you will keep you on track."

Link chuckled. "Give it a go. See what happens."

Something about the way Link conversed intrigued Midna. Her sharp tongue caused most people to either recoil or cut back. Link was the rare instance in which her words bounced off. Sometimes he'd take what she said and toss it back as if they were playing a harmless game of catch. It unnerved her. Why would _he_ of all people take her words in stride when, given their history, he had every reason to cut back?

As they continued to break down the symbolism of 'The Wolf and the Imp' and find points to support their thesis, Link inwardly noted that this was their first positive conversation. Once Midna's usual aggression had softened, they worked well together. It helped that they had a mutual love for the fable loosely based upon the exploits of the Hero of Twilight. She remained rather straight-faced the whole time, but her eyes lit up whenever she discussed her favourite tropes and theories regarding the story. Hearing how the Twili told it differently fascinated him. Occasionally she caught herself getting too excited and feigned apathy. Link wished she could be unapologetically enthusiastic around him, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable by pointing it out.

Part of the presentation dealt with how these stories were passed down over time, so Midna asked Link how he knew of the tale.

"Back in Ordon, Mum would read us folklore before bed," he said. "We'd ask her to reread our favourite stories, but Zelda didn't like this one much."

The moment he mentioned Zelda's name, Midna's grip on her stylus tightened. "Why?"

"Probably because the Princess of Hyrule didn't do much."

"Well it's nice to see a Twili get the spotlight for once," Midna said firmly. "It's boring to read about a Hylian princess all the time."

Was that a genuine opinion or a soft jab at Zelda? It was no secret that Link's sister, his mother, and all other firstborn daughters of the Harkinian lineage followed the naming tradition of the royal family. Anyone who knew Zelda's name knew she was descended from the princesses in these fables. Today's Zelda would no doubt feature in a fable of her own someday, but Midna had no way of knowing that, so Link chose to let it slide. Just this once.

"Did your parents read it to you?" Link asked.

Midna looked down at the stylus twirling between her fingers. "My parents aren't the type for bedtime stories." Link couldn't imagine the stone-cold police captain reading fables to little Midna anyway. "Grandma told it."

"Told? Like oral tradition?"

"Yeah. She's told me plenty of Twili fables, just like her dad before her."

Something struck Link as odd. "Was Mr Ozul supposed to tell them?"

She rolled her eyes. "You've met my dad how many times?"

"Uh." Link mentally counted his arrests. "About five?"

"And is he friendly?"

"No," he said, "because I was a perp. Isn't he different at home?"

Midna sighed. "You'd think," she muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" she snapped. "Quit getting side-tracked. We need to focus."

Oh, how painfully familiar those words had become.

An hour later, they wrapped up their study session and tried to organise another time to meet. Midna was busy every weekday afternoon, while Link was unable to meet up on the weekend (due to scheduled sabotage.) Her face soured so Link apologised. "I can't blame you for having a life," she said. Instead they chose to work on half an outline independently and reconvene on Monday morning.

As they exited the castle library together, Midna checked her slate with a frown. Her father hadn't sent the details of her scheduled rideshare yet. The reason why parked itself in the two-minute pick-up zone as they approached the bottom of the stairs.

It caught them both off-guard. Midna, because her father hadn't done pick-ups in years. Link, because he never expected to see Tahk Ozul emerge from anything other than a police vehicle. He was in his navy-blue uniform and had the same stupid haircut as every other cop.

Midna gripped her bag strap tightly. "What are you doing here?"

He flashed her a phony grin. "Can't a father check up on his little girl?" She pursed her lips. "Hey. There's a new crime thriller by Mako T. Cutlass. Why don't you grab a copy for me?"

"Or you could do it yourself?" Midna suggested irritably.

He chuckled. "I'm staying with the car. No one's gonna ticket Hyrule's Finest."

Midna rolled her eyes but trotted up the stairs. She cast a brief glance at Link as she went.

He hadn't taken one step towards his _legally parked_ motorcycle before Tahk said, "Hold it, Harkinian. I was hoping we could have a little chat."

Link stopped, put on a blank face, and stared Tahk dead in the eye.

"Did you and my daughter get a lot done today?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Good. And you're staying out of trouble?"

"Yes sir."

Tahk chewed on his tongue. "I'm curious to know where you were Saturday evening."

Link knew it was coming, but it still hit like a punch to the gut. "Lost track of time." It wasn't a lie.

"That doesn't answer my question." The way he spoke made Link deeply uncomfortable, like he was locked in an interrogation room with this man rather than standing out in public. Link's usual strategy was simple. Give short, truthful answers and _only_ in response to direct questions. He couldn't do that now. What was he supposed to say? _I was trespassing on some old ladies' property because it turns out magic is real and I'm the chosen one._ Was that even grounds for arrest? Even if it wasn't, Link didn't want the police meddling with his mission.

Since Link delayed his answer, Tahk tried a new angle. "You've got a lot of fresh bruises, lad."

"Combat training."

"I don't know what kind of trainer allows a teenage boy to get beaten up like that," Tahk said, as if he or his officers had never committed police brutality. "When did you arrive at the library on Saturday?"

"Around 8:30, sir."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Really? That's not what my daughter said."

But Link had told the truth.

"She said you didn't show up at all. Forgot to call in sick." Tahk crossed his arms and paced towards Link. "You two are hiding something from me." Link remained silent as his mind raced. Was… was Midna covering for him?

"I was a detective for five years, Harkinian. I know how to sniff out the truth. Let me ask you one more time. Where were you Saturday night?"

Midna's shoes clicked down the steps. "Dad, can you not be a cop for two minutes?"

Tahk cracked that same phony grin. "Hey, sweetheart. Did they have my book?"

"No, and the wait list is super long." In truth, they had five copies, but Midna didn't think he deserved one. She turned to Link. "Why are you still here?" It wasn't an accusatory statement, but a genuine question laced with concern.

"I was just leaving," Link said. He waved as he jogged towards his motorcycle. "I'll see you in class."

"See you later."

Once Link had disappeared behind the hedge bordering his parking spot, Midna took a deep breath and faced her father's scowl. "In the car," he ordered. "You and I need to have a little chat."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The interaction between Tahk and Link was something I thought to add when I was in the middle of writing Chapter 11. I really wanted to include a bit more interaction between those two. If it isn't already obvious, I love the Overprotective Dad trope, especially when the dad is in a position of authority that could bode poorly for our protagonist. Give. Me. More. Of. That. Please. For a Midlink-esque romance with that same trope, I highly recommend 'The Savior's Champion' by Jenna Moreci. (Do NOT look into the companion novel until you have read Book 1 because anything regarding Book 2 will give away the plot twist.)
> 
> Also thought I'd mention that Villa is very loosely based on Vilia from BotW. I always assumed that Vilia was the voe-born Gerudo of the century, but upon researching them further it quickly became apparent that Vilia is a Hylian who does brown face which is just… yikes… In my opinion, Nintendo should have implied that Vilia needed to dress as a woman just to experience their own culture. Would have been way more interesting and fit the lore perfectly.


	8. Race Through the Dunes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the Flag Tally Race Rally! Zelda and Ganondorf have a goal to win fairly, Link is on standby in case things get hairy, and a demon shows up to drop something scary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 'Age of Calamity' release day everyone! I proofed this when I should have been getting ready to go to the game store.
> 
> I had to do so much "rubber-ducking" to get through this chapter. My meticulous outline had too many plot holes and out-of-character moments and "I don't think I can convince anyone to believe that physics would ever work like that" moments so I had to write myself out of a LOT of corners. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this action-packed chapter~!

Beyond the thin walls of the yurt, the arriving crowd buzzed. Inside, eight contestants prepared themselves for the race. They strapped on their harnesses, donned their favourite jewels, and discussed winning strategies. Zelda did not have much to do aside from put on her harness. She had arrived at Gerudo Town in her Sheik disguise, modified for the occasion. Her tight jumpsuit had been replaced with navy garbs of a thinner, looser fabric that covered her from wrist to ankle. The mask was the same as always, though it made her face slick with sweat. In her next moment of privacy, she would claw it off.

She glanced around the tent, putting faces to names. Ganondorf had briefed her on the competition. She already knew Aveil and her teammate, Villa. Aveil was intensely competitive, but Villa was, as Ganondorf stressed, _sneaky_. Anywhere you weren't looking, that was where you would find Villa.

The oldest candidate was Nabooru. Excellent at duel-wielding scimitars on the go. _"Not as good as me, though,"_ Ganondorf had claimed. Her teammate was Tali, junior seal racing champion of Gerudo Town and easily spooked by monsters.

Finally, there was Riju and Buliara. Most Gerudo had placed Riju as the underdog before Ganondorf chose to team up with Sheik. However, he saw her team as their greatest threat. Riju was the youngest competitor and daughter of Chief Urbosa. She had an unrivalled bond with her sand seal, Patrisha. Buliara was Riju's big sister figure, fiercely loyal and protective. She was the tallest and buffest competitor, aside from Ganondorf.

Reminding herself of her competition's accolades made Zelda more nauseous. The anxieties swirled through her head. There was no way she and Ganondorf could win. She had mastered the basics of seal riding, but she had never surfed through the open desert. Not to mention that she was the stranger, the interloper, the outsider among everyone.

"Sav'aaq." A petite Gerudo with a long, thick braid and teal eyes sat beside her. "You okay?"

"I'll be okay." Zelda adjusted her mask. "Riju, isn't it?"

"The one and only," she chirped. "I must say, I never imagined that I would be competing alongside you."

Beneath her mask, Zelda smiled faintly. "Can I ask you something?" Riju nodded. "Do you know why Ganondorf would choose a Hylian to be his teammate?"

Riju hummed thoughtfully. "Depends on the Hylian, I suppose," she said. "You actually have quite the reputation among the Gerudo. Enough to intimidate everyone here." _So, they're overestimating me_ , Zelda thought grimly. "Or perhaps it's the opposite. Gerudo know and love each other like family, but you? You're a wild card. No one knows what to expect from you."

That answer soothed Zelda a little. "Sarqso," she thanked. "Did I say it right?"

Riju giggled. "Sounds funny in your accent, but you got it." She left to reconvene with Buliara.

"Getting chummy with the enemy, are we?" Ganondorf plopped into the bench beside her. His wild, waist-length hair had been tossed into a high ponytail, held by a gold band. He wore a single teal sleeve and shoulder plate. Straps crossed over his bare chest. Metal bracers curved over shins and forearms. His red pants were loose and patterned with shapes resembling a lyre. The whole look was very traditional.

"More like getting to know the enemy." A lump formed in her throat. "I don't know if I can do this."

"Course you can. You're Sheik! The most fearsome archer in Castle City. No one stands a chance against our combined might."

She was grateful that the mask hid the bludgeoning smile. That moment of hope faded as soon as Aveil sauntered over.

"Wow, Gan Gan. I can't believe you're actually going through with this."

"I can't believe you're still a bitch."

"Hey!" Urbosa barked from the yurt's entrance. "Save it for the race."

The chief had an impossibly large and round ponytail with a tassel-like end. Gold circled her crown, lobes, neck, wrists, waist, and ankles. She wore an asymmetrical, low-rise navy wrap skirt and emerald green heels.

She clapped for everyone's attention. "Alright, competitors. Race starts in five minutes. Time to get latched up to your seals."

The contestants filed out of the yurt and into the blazing sun. The thunder of Zelda's heart matched the roar of the crowd. Rows of crowded bleachers at the edge of Gerudo Town faced open desert. On one side were winding cliffs and clustered rock formations. On the other was a raised, abandoned highway. It had collapsed in some places due to an infestation of bomb flowers. The path was marked by posts with long, green triangle flags fluttering in the wind. At their base, several miniature flags sprouted from the sand.

Once the contestants had strapped themselves to their seals just before the start line, Urbosa addressed the crowd with a megaphone. "Saa'vaq to all," her voice boomed. "We've all been eagerly awaiting this day. As you all know, the Flag Tally Race Rally is one of our most sacred rituals."

 _And we might have to sabotage it,_ Zelda thought grimly.

"It represents the passing of the torch to tomorrow's leader. As Gerudo, we founded this tradition to recognise and propel our grassroot rebels. This year, we have an impressive array of young leaders who have done so much for the Gerudo."

She gestured to the first team. "Nabooru, teaming up with the esteemed racer, Tali. When a problem faces the Gerudo, Nabooru goes straight to the top. She actively contacts and negotiates with government officials. No matter what rhetoric is thrown at her, she knows how to keep a straight head.

"My own daughter, Riju, may be young, but she is not to be underestimated. Protests and marches can't exist without some behind-the-scenes coordination. Patient and kind, Riju has worked hard to earn the respect and loyalty of so many among us. Her teammate, Buliara, can attest to that.

"Next up is Aveil, our rising star. She is stubborn and efficient, able to take charge of a crowd in a matter of seconds. It seems like any task we give her is done with a snap of her fingers. Her tenacity runs in the family with Villa, her brother and right-hand voe.

"Finally, we have our voe-born Gerudo of the century. Long ago, we would have handed him leadership on a silver platter. In this age, he's here to earn it. Ganondorf has been on the front lines of all our civil rights movements. Strong, charismatic, and brave, he will do whatever it takes to voice the message of the people. His partner is an outsider, but one whom many of us admire. Introducing Castle City's best archer, the one known as Sheik!"

The crowd cheered for everyone, but a few dozen hollered especially loudly for her. She knew her archery skills were revered, but she had no idea how much. Farore, how would she ever meet their expectations of her?

"Don't get used to that sound," Aveil sneered. "You won't hear it again."

Her words stung, but Zelda took a deep breath and delivered a line she had been practicing in her head (and the mirror) for past few days. "It doesn't matter how fast you are, Aveil. As long as you're in my sight, you cannot outrun my arrows."

It hit its mark. Aveil was taken aback, but before she could fire back a retort, Urbosa addressed the crowd again. "The rules are simple. When I blow this horn-" She raised a horn of carved leviathan bone, "-our competitors will race through the track. Along the way, they will collect flags which will shave 10 seconds off their finish time. But it won't be easy. Moldorms, leevers, and other monsters will threaten them. They will have to work as a team to defend each other. Only when both team members have crossed the finish line will their timer be stopped. Once all contenders finish the race, we will tally everyone's flags. The winner will be presented with our tribe's sacred relic and officially become my protégé."

There were other rules that Urbosa didn't have time to mention, such as how lethal weaponry was allowed to be used on monsters and non-lethal options could be used to defend teammates from flag-stealing competitors. Another was that only one team member could carry the flags, though both could collect them as long as a hand off was made within thirty seconds. Today, Ganondorf was the carrier while Zelda was the defender. She held her bow and felt over her shoulder for the billionth time to check that both quivers were on her back. They had a strategy for victory, and she hoped her seal riding skills were good enough to execute it.

Her heart thudded as Urbosa began her count down. The crowd joined her. "Three." Zelda's hands were clamming up. There was no way she could hold her bow properly now. "Two." What was she thinking, agreeing to this? Why did she choose to fight for the win? The other teams were going to destroy her. "One." She looked over at Ganondorf. He winked at her with a confident grin. Her insecurities melted away, though they left a slippery puddle behind.

The horn blared. Seals dove into the sand. Zelda lurched forward, arms spinning. She wobbled back and forth on her board. The crowd laughed and jeered. She found her balance. "Hya!" The seal spurred faster.

Ganondorf took the lead. Zelda trailed the rest. "He's abandoned his teammate," Aveil laughed to Villa. Zelda smirked as she pulled an arrow from her quiver.

Ganondorf snatched up the first flag. Six others were plucked. There was one left. Zelda grabbed it. She slipped it into the small loops tied around the arrow shaft and aimed high. The arrow arched over the competition and landed before Ganondorf. He snatched it up. A flawless hand off in less than 30 seconds. He stashed it in the back of his belt.

They maintained the strategy. As Zelda approached the fifth marker, Tali looped around. Her seal drove between Zelda and the post. She claimed the flag for herself. Zelda scowled and tried to weave around her, but Tali was too good. For the next few posts, she sped off to receive the odd flag from Nabooru but always fell back in time to cut Zelda off. Zelda drew a foam-tipped arrow from her second quiver.

When Tali reached for the next flag, the arrow knocked her hand out of the way. Scowling, she sped off to receive another flag from Nabooru. Zelda hit Nabooru's hand with a foam tip. She dropped the flag. Zelda claimed it and shot it to Ganondorf. Their tally reached 15.

The terrain shifted. Racers wove between tall, large rocks. Zelda couldn't track Ganondorf's position. She focused on stunning any hand that got too close to a flag. Aveil shrieked in frustration when foam collided with her skin. "HYA!" She disappeared around the next rock. When Zelda rounded it, Aveil wasn't in sight.

As she passed another rock, Aveil swooped in and swerved away. The motion spooked Myla. She collided with a nearby rock. Zelda tumbled into the sand. Practice taught her how to get up and spur quickly. Within seconds, she was back in the race.

She emerged from the rocks but wasn't alone. Several small dust clouds pursued her. Thick black worms with wide, three-flapped mouths and sharp teeth leapt towards her. Moldorms.

She cupped her hands and yelled. "GANONDORF!"

* * *

" _Promise me you won't interfere with the race."_

" _I can't promise that, Zel."_

" _Then will you wait until you're absolutely certain we won't win?"_

" _Yes. I can do that."_

Link's bike was perched on the cliff overlooking the desert. When the contestants disappeared into the rocks, he had a hard time keeping track of them with his binoculars, so he took the opportunity to enjoy the rest of the view.

Near the abandoned highway bridge, giant ribs protruded from the sand. To the naked eye, there was no way to tell if it was a leviathan or a molduga. Link donned the binoculars for a closer look, but as he searched for the skeleton, he passed over someone standing on the bridge. He panned back up and zoomed in. As the binoculars focused, they revealed a red trench coat fluttering in the wind.

Ghirahim said something as he emptied a vial of thick, ashy, magenta goo. Link followed the contents. The moment it splattered against the bones, flesh erupted. It swallowed the skeleton in muscle and tissue and a scaly, silver hide.

It shimmied itself into the sand. A red dorsal fin with black prongs rose and shot forward, kicking up a dust storm. Link panned over to its target.

The racers.

* * *

At Zelda's call, Ganondorf looped back around. She struggled to balance as juvenile moldorms rained upon her. Teeth sunk into skin. She ripped them out. Blood ringed fabric punctures. Ganondorf drew his scimitars. He slashed and hacked at any who lunged at them. The remaining moldorms fled. With a triumphant grin, Ganondorf sheathed his swords.

"We're too far behind," Zelda said. The trail of competition started two flagpoles ahead. "We can't catch up."

"Sure we can. We just need to go faster."

"I can't ride faster than this!" Zelda shrieked.

An arm wrapped around her waist and pinned her to his side. "I've got you. HYA!"

Both seals lurched forward. Zelda's body was thrown back, but Ganondorf supported her. They skipped flag collection at the next few posts. In less than a minute, they passed Aveil and Villa. They overtook Nabooru just as someone snatched a fistful of flags from Ganondorf's belt.

"Nothing personal!" Villa yelled. Aveil cackled as she and her brother sped ahead. Ganondorf scowled. He slowed the seals, let go of Zelda, and spurred after Villa.

Ganondorf neared Villa with an outstretched hand. Aveil slipped between them. She swatted his arm away. He growled and tried to weave around her, but she cut him off. "You go ahead!" she called. Villa nodded and sped off.

They arched around the bend and rode parallel with the highway. Zelda shot foam arrow after arrow at Aveil in hopes of giving Ganondorf an opening, but they did little to deter her.

A motorcycle zoomed past. Zelda's blood boiled. _Link!_ Winning the race didn't matter anymore. It was up to her to keep Link and Ganondorf's honour intact.

She executed her sharpest turn yet. His bike was faster. "LINK!" she screamed. "STAY OUT OF THIS!" It occurred to her that they were both speeding in the wrong direction. Why? She squinted through the quivering air. The silver glint of the Master Sword raced towards a nearing dust cloud. Moldorm? No, it dwarfed Link. She gasped. _A fin!_

Another sharp turn. Adrenaline rid her of all inhibitions. It held her steady as she went faster, faster, faster. The beast closed in. As soon as the racers were in sight, she swerved under the bridge and screamed. "MOLDUGA!"

* * *

"Give up, Gan Gan."

"Fuck off!" Ganondorf snapped. They overtook each other, cut each other off, and fought to keep their lead only to lose it a moment later.

Zelda's foam arrows no longer followed them. She had probably ran out, but wouldn't she have offered different support by now?

From the distance, her voice rang. "MOLDUGA!"

Ganondorf saw it first. It was close. Without thinking, he shoved Aveil as hard as he could and dove out of the way. The enormous fin sailed past.

"Ganondorf!" Zelda called. She surfed over with Link riding beside her. They both skid to a halt, kicking up a rain of sand. Aveil coughed as she waved it away.

"Thanks for the shove, you dirty cheater!"

"There was a bloody molduga after us!" Ganondorf snapped.

"You expect me to believe-" She was cut off by screams. The molduga had the others racers pinned around a bridge pillar. It circled them. "Oh."

Link revved his engine. "I'll distract it." He turned to Zelda. "Come up with a plan to take it down."

"Me?" Zelda squeaked.

"You're the smart one." In a spray of sand, he was gone.

By then, Ganondorf and Aveil had returned to riding form. In seconds, the trio were off.

Link gave the molduga a few jabs. It tore its attention away from the Gerudo. He rode just shy of its snapping jaws.

Zelda, Ganondorf, and Aveil reached the pillar. Buliara eyed the beast as she shielded Riju. Tali quivered in fear as Nabooru comforted her. Villa had flattened himself against the pillar. Everyone's seals huddled close. As long as they were still, the Molduga wouldn't be able to sense them.

"How on Farore's green earth do we escape that thing?" Villa cried.

Aveil turned to Ganondorf. "Why don't you use that so-called magic trick?"

"Good idea!" He charged up a ball of lightning (which elicited a few gasps) and hurled it at the beast. It missed. The molduga dove beneath the sand. It breached where the attack had landed, swallowing the glass whole. Silver scales glistened in the sun. This wasn't just any molduga. This was a _molduking!_ A subspecies long thought extinct.

Shards bit innards. A small shriek, but otherwise unscathed. As it fell down, an eye locked with Zelda and the rest of the group.

It circled the pillar again. Link stabbed its tail. It flicked him away. He and his motorcycle crashed into the base of another pillar. "Link!" Zelda cried. He was quick to recover but chose to stay put. He wouldn't be able to accelerate fast enough to avoid the beast.

The racers and molduking were in a stalemate. They hugged the pillar. The creature was too large to pick them off, so it waited for the moment when someone would flee. Ganondorf shot spell after spell, but the molduking ducked below the sand each time.

Zelda's eyes darted about for _any_ escape opportunity she could find. Her eyes fell upon the bomb flowers dotting the bridge. She loaded an arrow and whispered her plan to Ganondorf.

He cracked a smile. "That's exactly why you have the Triforce of Wisdom."

"Don't say that out loud!" Zelda hissed. Everyone was too concerned with their imminent demise to notice.

Ganondorf clapped for everyone's attention. "Listen up, everyone," he hollered. "Sheik is gonna give us an opening. On their signal, we ride as fast as we can. Got it?"

Everyone sounded in agreement. Zelda aimed at a small cluster of bomb flowers just above and to the right of where she stood. She eyed the ravenous beast. This would have to be a perfectly timed shot.

"HYA!" Myla lurched forward. The arrow flew. _Kapow!_ Rubble crashed onto the molduking. It roared and thrashed in agony. Everyone's seals and Link's bike fled to the open desert.

The finish line was in sight, but the fight was not over. A guttural roar chased them. A dented dorsal approached. Ganondorf shot more thunder. It dove beneath the sand and resurfaced. "We need to get it into shallow sands," Ganondorf called.

"On it." Riju took the lead. "Follow me."

She swerved right and led everyone towards a rocky atoll dotted with bomb flowers. The seals and racers leapt onto the slope on one end and fled to higher ground. Link led the molduking into the atoll. The upper third of its body broke the surface as it chased after him. Ganondorf charged up an attack and threw it at the beast. It shrieked and collided with a rock wall. Zelda shot into a dazed eye. Blood spurted. The molduking shimmied itself into the sand and fled towards the exit. Another crackling ball forced it back into the atoll. Zelda notched an arrow. Once the other eye was in her sights, she took it out.

Ganondorf held another crackling ball ready in case the molduga tried another daring escape. Zelda was at a loss on what to do next when she caught Nabooru and Tali ripping up bomb flowers and tossing them into the sand. The molduga's jaw crunched down on a few. _Boom._ Blood and guts spurted through its nostrils.

It slammed into the walls over and over. _Its echolocation is destroyed,_ she realised. "Nabooru!" She tossed her three arrows. "Can you rig up a few bomb arrows?" The Gerudo nodded and set to work.

Aveil, Villa, and Tali took the opportunity to flee. Riju and Buliara were already missing. And so was Link.

* * *

Riju and Buliara searched for a flag post that could lead them towards the finish line. A cloud of sand pursued. It rumbled like an engine. When it drew near, waves of sand shot at the pair. Riju darted aside. One hit Buliara hard in the back. She stood firm. With a roar, she fell back into the dust cloud and swung the hilt of her blade at the figure within.

A driverless bike spun through the sand and fell on its side. The cloud faded. Link was sprawled out with the Gale Boomerang in hand. His head throbbed, but he leapt to his feet and sprinted for the bike. The slash of a sword cut him off.

"How dare you!" Buliara spat. "This is our tribe's sacred race!"

The boomerang slashed. Wind merely billowed her clothes and hair. She swung the flat side of her blade at his wrist. He pulled away and seized the Master Sword.

"That's enough!" Link paused mid draw. Buliara froze. Riju took a deep breath. "Link. Please leave us alone." He did not let go of the blade. Her eyes pleaded with him. "Trust me. Everything will work out, but only if this race is won with honour."

Though he felt shame for his own actions, part of him wanted to be angry at her. As her fellow competitors' lives were threatened by a giant monster, she and Buliara used the chaos to take a steep lead. And yet something about her gaze said there was more to the situation than he knew. He sheathed his sword.

"Let him pass, Buliara." The tall Gerudo glared at Link as she cautiously lowered her scimitar. Link strode over to his bike, propped it up, and seated himself. He gave Riju a final glance. She met it with a sincere nod. The engine revved. Tyers circled towards the atoll.

Riju surfed towards the finish line. Buliara followed close behind. "I don't trust him," Buliara said.

"Do you trust me?" Riju asked.

"Of course."

* * *

Nabooru tossed Zelda the bomb arrows and made her escape. Ganondorf hurled attack after attack at the creature. He stopped to catch his breath. Zelda loaded her bow and aimed. The molduking was in such a frenzy that she couldn't find a good angle.

It smashed into rock over and over until it slipped through the gap. "Ganondorf! You let it escape."

"Won't be alive for much longer," he wheezed. "Everyone escaped, didn't they?"

He had a point. Zelda scrutinised the monster's trajectory to be sure, and a realisation struck her. They had destroyed its sight and echolocation. What guided it now? Sound, and no prey was louder than the roar of a crowd. "It's going to beach itself!" She bounded down the stone to Myla. "If we don't stop it now, it's going to crush the spectators." With a frustrated groan, Ganondorf went after her. He tethered himself to his seal and sped off as Zelda fumbled with her harness.

Suddenly, a thought stopped her in her tracks. She wouldn't be able to reach them in time with her racing skills. A motorcycle approached. Link skid the bike in an arch. "Get on."

Zelda tensed, but there was no time to dwell on her fear of motorbikes. She leapt on and threw her arms around Link's torso. With a loud rev, they sped forward. Zelda bit back a yelp.

It took less than a minute to catch up with Ganondorf who slowly gained on the molduking. Its movements were sluggish and erratic but still hurtling towards the finish line. They had to come up with a plan and execute it _now._

"If I can get a good angle, I can blow it off course with my bomb arrows," Zelda yelled over the engine.

"Will it stop for good?" Link asked.

"I don't know!"

A thought struck Link like lightning. He relayed it to his friends.

" _Are you kidding?!"_ Zelda cried.

Ganon laughed. "Now you sound like a chosen hero!"

Link was damn lucky that there was no time to think this through. This was going to be like shooting dizzy and blindfolded and hoping that the arrow hit the apple rather than the person whose head it rested upon. _Today I become an only child,_ Zelda thought grimly.

* * *

Link stood at the finish line with his sword at the ready, a one-man shield between the spectators and the molduking hurtling towards him. He could run to the side, save himself and leave many to die, or his life could end within the next thirty seconds, perhaps in vain.

He prayed to the Goddesses. May his figurative roll of the dice grant him a Nat 20.

Taunts ripped from his throat. The creature's fin bristled. Ganondorf surfed from behind it as he charged his largest ball of electricity yet.

The molduking sprung from the sand. It soared through the air in a high arch. Wide jaws descended upon Link.

Ganondorf hurled his spell at Link. Sword bat it into the maw. A wail. Three explosions. The creature's impact kicked up a thick cloud of sand.

Silence.

Waiting for the sand to settle felt like an eternity. Those with the sharpest of eyes were the first to gasp. The hulking silhouette of the molduking on its right side shifted within the cloud. No, not shifting. _Twitching._ The gruesome scene slowly revealed itself. Three overlapping craters in its left side exposed pink flesh. Eye sockets caked in blood and sand. A single boot protruded from closed jaws.

"No!" Heads whipped towards the motorcycle. Sheik tossed their bow aside and sprinted towards the creature's corpse.

The stench of blood and charred flesh forced a gag as Zelda peered through the narrow crevasse of the corpse's gums. It was too dark. "Link?" No answer. She strained her ears, hoping to pick up on his breathing. Nothing. A cold dread spread from her chest like a fast-acting poison.

There was no way her brother could be dead within nine days of this stupid quest.

Ganondorf sprinted towards her. She gave way. He gripped one of the gums and pressed his foot on the bony bill of the creature. He heaved, trying desperately to pry the jaws apart. Part of Zelda wanted him to stop; she feared the gruesome sight awaiting her. But she swallowed and curled her hands around the sticky upper gum and pulled. With their combined strength, it budged only an inch.

Another pair of hands joined them. Riju. Buliara pressed her back against the bill and pushed with all her might. Nabooru joined her. One by one, the competitors came over to help. Even Aveil. They pried the jaws wide enough for Zelda and Ganondorf to slip inside. The mangled tongue was flopped over Link's top half. He was so still. They heaved it away. He gasped like he had broken the surface of water. That sweet sound overwhelmed Zelda with relief.

Ganondorf dragged him out. When they emerged, the crowd erupted into cheer. Three brave teenagers had slain a molduking right in front of them. For the time being, they didn't care that one of them happened to be a Hylian voe. They owed him, Sheik, and their very own Ganondorf their lives.

Link was barely conscious of their reaction. His body was caked in molduga blood and his ears, nostrils, and mouth were filled with sand. He coughed and spat. With most of it out of his system, he gazed up at his friends. Zelda's eyes sparkled with tears. Ganon wore a grin that showed how immensely proud he was of his absolute madlad of a friend.

Zelda dropped to her knees and pulled Link into a firm embrace. He hugged her back. "You did a great job."

She gripped him tighter. "I thought you were dead."

"It'll take more than a pesky sand worm to kill Link," Ganondorf said, crouching to their level as they parted. "That was a hell of a swing."

"That was a hell of a serve," Link replied. The friends chuckled, but a realisation caused Link to frown. "You lost the race," he said. "How do we get the medallion now?"

"Don't worry about it," said Ganondorf. "I'm sure Auntie Urbosa will announce another race."

Urbosa did not, in fact, announce another race.

It was a decision Ganondorf thought to be out-of-character for her, and most were inclined to agree. There was an awkward energy radiating from the crowd as Urbosa presented the Spirit Medallion to her daughter. She handed Riju the microphone for her victory speech. "Thank-you, Mother, but I cannot accept this. All I did was win a race."

Sounds of surprise rippled through the crowd. Zelda and Ganondorf glanced at each other, mutual hope stirring within.

Riju continued. "The Flag Tally Race Rally is a celebration of leadership, and I believe that leadership was best embodied by another today. One who guided us from danger, who was a team player, who kept great company and kept danger at bay. That leader is Ganondorf, and I would like to pass this medallion onto him."

Joy swelled in his chest. Zelda nudged him towards the stage. He lifted his arms to hype up the crowd even more. Riju handed the microphone and medallion to Urbosa. "I couldn't be a prouder mother right now," she told her. "Ganondorf Dragmire, it has been a pleasure to watch you grow from a rambunctious young voe to a pillar of strength. For years, you have fought on the front lines for our rights and sovereignty. Today, you've shown how capable you are of shielding us from the brewing dangers as well. I can think of no one more worthy of receiving this medallion."

She held it out to him. Metallic orange with two teardrops curled around each other. There was something off about it though. The runes around the rim were crudely etched, and it seemed a smidge off-colour. When he took it, there was no strange tingling sensation like the Forest Medallion had. No point dwelling on it though. He took the medallion and held it high. It glistened in the sun. Applause thundered, with Zelda's the most enthusiastic of all.

Urbosa handed Ganondorf the mic. He took it and a smug grin spread across his face. "I can't wait to troll some stuffy politicians."

She laughed with the crowd as she patted him on the back. "You'll learn to get along with them."

After the ceremony, Zelda and Ganondorf entered the infirmary tent where a nurse was tending to Link. She wound an elastic bandage around his swollen, purple ankle. It wasn't sprained or broken. If Zelda's arrows had struck even a millisecond later, that could have been the case, but the molduga died before it could get a good chomp. A bit of rest and he'd be up and about in no time.

"Link, guess what?" Ganondorf said.

"I heard it all from here," Link said, a genuine grin on his tired features. "Congrats, oh Mighty Ganondorf."

"Ah well, couldn't have done it without you or Sheik."

"Don't forget Riju," a voice said behind them. They turned to the entrance where Urbosa stood with her daughter. "Malena," she said to the nurse. "Please give us a moment." Malena bowed and left the tent.

Urbosa's expression hardened. "I hear two of you tried to sabotage our race."

Link and Ganondorf flinched. "Sorry," they mumbled. The friends awaited her lecture, but it never came. Instead, Urbosa strode over to Ganondorf and yanked the medallion out of his hand.

"Hey! We need-" Ganondorf was cut off by Urbosa presenting a copy of the Spirit Medallion. No, the _real_ Spirit Medallion! It radiated the warmth of the desert sun and felt weighted by their ancestral history. "But why?"

Urbosa smiled with a twinkle in her eye. "A little bird told me of your plans." Zelda waved awkwardly. "We couldn't let cheaters prevail, nor let Hyrule fall to ruin, so we came up with a plan. If you and Sheik won the race, you would be presented with the real medallion. If Riju won, she would be given the fake and play along."

"What if someone else won?" asked Link.

Urbosa chuckled. "They're talented, but I knew they stood no chance against my Riju." She wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders.

"When the molduga showed up, though, I realised the race couldn't determine our next leader anymore," Riju said. "The least worthy would have been the first to cross the finish line. The most deserving would have stayed behind to fight."

Only Ganondorf, who had grown up with Riju and knew how badly she wanted to succeed her mother, could feel the full weight of her sacrifice. "Thanks. I mean it."

"You better make me your deputy," she said sharply.

"Ha! I owe you that much."

With that, the mother and daughter turned to leave. A well-timed breeze lifted Urbosa's hair to reveal a tattoo of Hylia's crest, exactly like Impa's.

"Wait," Link called. Urbosa glanced over her shoulder. "That tattoo. What does it mean?"

She smiled knowingly. "It means I'm a contingency." She left without another word.

It was just Link, Ganondorf, and Zelda alone in the tent. Something was weighing on the mind of the latter. "Hey Ganondorf," Zelda asked. "A lot of extraordinary things happened today. Magic and moldukings. Why aren't the Gerudo that phased by it?"

He spied the sunset beyond the flapping yurt door. "Because the Gerudo never stopped believing in magic."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to keep track of nine characters. Nine. And a molduga! I hope none of my other action scenes involve several participants.
> 
> Just kidding! There's so much more I must suffer through yet.
> 
> I think my favourite thing about this Gerudo tradition is that it puts grassroots protesters into office and then all the other politicians have to content with "Hey, you remember that massive protest with thousands of people? Yeah, why'd you ignore it? No, it wasn't violent. I was there."


	9. A Curtain of Hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's something wrong with Midna and Link is determined to find out what. Featuring Groose’s cringey election posters!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter that only took 2 days to draft but I hope those of you who came here for the ship enjoy :D

Though the Gerudo kept traditions like the Flag Tally Race Rally closely guarded, something as monumental as three teenagers killing a molduking before a cheering crowd was bound to spread through the student body by Monday morning. Especially when two of them were known Central High Students.

The moment Link and Zelda stepped out of Impa's car that morning, they were swarmed by students. Dozens of questions were thrown at Link. Did he really kill a molduga? What was it like being inside it? Who the hell is behind Sheik's mask? Can Ganondorf really shoot thunder from his hands? Does he have the _real_ Master Sword? Is he a chosen hero or something? It took several minutes to convincingly deny everything and enter the school building, where Zelda gasped in horror.

Hundreds of Groose's election posters plastered the halls, covering the ones she and Link had put up together. Midna's posters were covered as well. Those smug grins and dopey eyes closed in on them.

_Vote for Groose or be a goose._

Another entered the building just behind the twins. "Now that's a frightening display of ego," said Ganondorf. Zelda hung her head in shame. "Hey. No one with any sense would vote for Groose."

"It's not just that." She pointed at a table just below the notice board. In addition to the usual flyers and forms, there was a suggestion box with a note on it.

_Tell me what you want. If I can get it, I will._

– _Midna Ozul_

"I've been so focused on this quest that my campaign is suffering. Come on, Link." Zelda latched onto his arm and dragged him down the hall. "We have to go to the library!"

Ganondorf stared after them as they disappeared. _There they are, going off without you again._ The thought felt somewhat uncanny, like it wasn't entirely his own. It was easy to brush off. _They're twins. It's not a big deal._

* * *

Link probably looked awfully silly jumping up and down like he was, trying to catch Midna's eye over the questioning barricade of students. Given how people kept pelting him with his own name to win his attention, it was a wonder that she hadn't come to his rescue yet.

Once he forced his way through the crowd, he was met by the most jarring sight. Her empty seat. For the first time in years, her perfect record of attendance and punctuality had been broken. Well, not quite. The bell hadn't- and there it was.

When Mrs Twinrova ambled into the classroom, there was still no Midna. Everyone took their seats and answered roll call.

"Gulley Meadows."

"Here."

"Yunobo Nicolson."

"Here."

"Midna Ozul." Nothing. "Midna Ozul?" the teacher repeated. Still nothing. A smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth. Pen descended upon paper. Just as it touched, the door burst open.

"I'm here!" Midna wheezed, palms gripping her knees. Her messy hair hung from her shoulders, covering her right eye. A dark circle framed her left. Sweat shined against her forehead.

"Apologies, Ms Ozul." Mrs Twinrova barely disguised her smug tone. "I've already marked you absent. You'll have to make up from it in detention this afternoon."

Midna looked as though she had just been sentenced to a firing squad. "I can't!" she exclaimed. "I have… a home emergency. Yeah!"

"Well, I suppose you should've thought of that before arriving late."

"But-"

"Be _seated,_ Ozul, or I'll make it the whole week."

With a scowl, Midna slammed her bag on her desk and plopped down beside Link.

Throughout the lesson, she proceeded to do several un-Midna-like things. Accidentally typing her notes in her History Studies document. Spacing out several times. Even dosing off once or twice. Link wasn't much of a notetaker, but with Midna in such a state, he jotted down every detail and point of interest for her later.

When it was time for partners to update each other on their assignment progress, Midna became quite alert and quite frightened. "I… um…"

"Should I go first?" Midna nodded all too eagerly. Link showed her the outline he had drafted of the first half of their presentation. He felt as though it was a little barebones and asked for some ideas on how to flesh it out.

"Well, you could…" she trailed off. "You could discuss another metaphor here?"

"That's the trope section. You're on metaphors."

"Oh, right." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Don't you _dare_ tell anyone this, but I'm a little behind."

Link shrugged. "It's fine. Show me what you've done so far."

Midna clutched her tablet to her chest as if it Link was trying to steal it for blackmail. The sheer oddness of her behaviour dawned on her, so she fumbled for an excuse. "Uh, well…" Link furrowed his brow, silently asking if she was okay. "It's just- I haven't-" She turned away from him and mumbled something. He hummed, confused. She mumbled it again. He waited patiently for her to repeat herself. "I haven't started yet!" She flinched, waiting for him to make some gloating remark about how _she_ was the slacker now, or at least express some kind of disappointment.

That never came. He was a little surprised, but it quickly melted. "Thanks for being honest."

He had no business being this nice about it. When he flaked on her, she snapped at him, ignored him, made him work to earn back her favour. If this was how Link responded to Midna doing the same thing, what did that say about her?

The scratch of a pen against a loose scrap of paper carried her mind back to the classroom. He slid the note over. It was some kind of rough map. "The bag racks behind the old shed make a decent nap spot," he said. "Sometimes you get a few spiders, but I usually keep them out."

She glanced between the paper and Link. Her first instinct was to snap about how useless and uncomfortable it would be to sleep in such a space, but a yawn tugged at her throat. She took the paper. "I'll check it out."

At the ring of the bell, the pair filed out of the classroom together. Midna mumbled a goodbye and dragged herself towards this nap spot of his. As she disappeared into the crowd, he wondered what could have caused her to arrive late, panicked, sleep-deprived, and behind on her studies. There was only one way to find out.

As Mrs Twinrova fumbled with the buckle on her bag, Link took out a marker and approached the 'Vote for Groose' poster most visible from the doorway.

* * *

Throughout the day, Link witnessed many different kinds of stares being thrown is way. Curious eyes locked on him as hands covered whispered conspiracies. Women shot looks of disgust at the Hylian voe who had allegedly invaded Gerudo territory. Scrutinising glares tried to uncover hidden lies. Eyes widened with wonder and admiration.

As Link and Ganondorf lightly jogged the track during Physical Education that day, Groose's stare was by far the most intense. Pursed lips. Eyes seething with jealousy. His poster stunt should have been the talk of the school, yet all anyone cared about was some tall tale about Link and Ganondorf slaying a mythical creature with magic swords and spells with not a shred of video evidence to back it up.

"Spill it," said Groose. "How did a wimp like you manage to get a race of man-hating bitches to worship you?"

Link rolled his eyes. "Not calling them 'man-hating bitches' probably helped my case."

"What does that make me? King of the Man-Hating Bitches?" Ganondorf laughed. "Has a nice ring to it, actually. I'm going by that from now on."

Groose's face reddened. "Stop messing around. I know neither of you have the spine to take down a keese, let alone a molduga." He wedged himself between them and shot them each a glare. "Whatever bullshit you're up to, I'm not falling for it. I'm gonna do whatever it takes to expose you both for the liars you are."

"While you do that, Zelda can beat you in the election," said Ganondorf. Link snorted.

With that, the friends sped up, leaving Groose behind. They raced each other towards the finish line. The pounding of blood. The wind through their hair. The rush of energy.

Ganondorf won. Link collapsed against the nearest bench huffing. He massaged his ankle. It had healed remarkably fast but was still a little tender. He supposed the Triforce of Courage had something to do with it.

It was too quiet. "What, no gloating today?"

Ganondorf snapped out of a trance. "Hm?"

Link furrowed his brow. "You okay?"

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit anxious. You know how it is."

"Oh. You wanna talk about it?"

Ganondorf laughed him off. "It's nothing the Mighty Ganondorf can't handle."

There was something a little off about the way Ganondorf said it, but if he wasn't up for talking, then Link wasn't going to pry. With it being the middle of a lesson, it wasn't the right time or place. "Okay, mate. I'm here if you need me."

* * *

PE was the last lesson of Link's Monday schedule, but when the bell rung, he wasn't allowed to go home just yet.

"You got a detention?" Zelda scolded as they walked through the halls. "What happened to helping me practice for the student council debate tomorrow? I need all the help I can get to win against…" She trailed off as they rounded the corner to Mrs Twinrova's classroom, where Midna leaned against the wall. Head hung low. Arms crossed. She drummed her fingers against her forearm.

Zelda looked to Link, then Midna, then back at Link. He gave her an awkward smile that said it all. She pinched the bridge of her nose. "You and your stupid hormones."

Their echoing footsteps alerted Midna to their presence. She reached up to comb her fingers through her hair, ensuring that it still covered her right eye. The twins stopped beside her. "I'll see you at home, Link." Zelda side-eyed Midna as she passed.

"Um, Zelda?" Midna said timidly. The Hylian spun on her heel and waited. Midna opened her mouth to say something but closed it again. "Good luck tomorrow," she blurted. Zelda's face lit up in pleasant surprise. "You'll need it."

"Thank-you, but I don't need luck." With a toss of her hair, Zelda receded down the hallway. Midna slumped against the wall with the barest hint of a grimace. The moment between the girls gave Link pause. Did Midna try to-

"So, what brings you here this fine afternoon?" Midna asked. Link smirked deviously. He drew a scrunched-up piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over. She unfurled it and almost choked. On Groose's poster, Link had drawn a goose beak, flapping wings, and a speech bubble that said _HONK!_ "Holy Hylia, this is a work of art! You really captured his hypocrisy."

"It took many sleepless nights." Her giggles made his chest swell.

"By the way, thanks for telling me about your nap place. Must be a valuable secret to give away." She winked. "But I won't tell anyone."

They ceased their friendly chatter when Mrs Twinrova shuffled towards them. As she fumbled with the lock, she not-so-subtly searched Midna's face for signs of humiliation. The Twili remained stoic, unwilling to validate her teacher's little revenge plot.

She gripped her biceps far too tight.

Link and Midna sat in silence for the first half hour as Mrs Twinrova marked a stack of papers. Whenever the teacher's head was bowed, Link stole a few glances at Midna. The lower the sun sank, the more the warm light of the open window highlighted her beauty. Her chin rested in her hand as she watched the clock. With the way her hair was draped, only her small, angular nose and purple-painted pout were visible. A surprise breeze blew the curtain from her face. She jumped and pulled it back down. Her left eye met his.

He had seen it, but pretended not to, casually choosing to stare ahead and sigh in boredom. Inside, worry surrounded the image that was only visible for a split second but was branded in his mind. A thin cut curved from just above her inner brow and down to her cheekbone. It didn't have the roughness of an accident. It was _inflicted._

Stressed. Restless. Harmed. A home emergency she was eager to return to. No explanation Link thought of fit neatly into the hints set out before him. There was only one thing he knew for certain: whatever this was, she wasn't going to face it alone.

Mrs Twinrova was engrossed in a particularly horrible essay, so Link deemed it safe to carefully draw his slate from his pocket. On the message app, he opened Ganondorf's contact. _Distract Mrs T for me?_ Ganon responded with a demon-horned emoji.

Seconds later, Mrs Twinrova's slate rung. She answered in an exasperated tone. "Ganon, I'm busy." Her face morphed into horror as he spoke. "Koume did _what?_ Are there pictures online?" He answered. A hand clamped over her mouth. She slowly lowered it and murmured, "Did she tag me in them?" An answer. She jolted to her feet. "I have an urgent matter to take care off," she announced. "There better be no funny business while I'm gone." In the next moment, the room was theirs. It was too much space for them to fill.

Link cleared his throat and tilted his head towards the doorway. "Twins, huh?" Midna smiled weakly and turned away. _How to approach this…_ "Are you doing okay?"

Her hands clenched. "What's it to you?"

"I care." Their eyes met. "I really do."

His genuine gaze set Midna's ablaze. "Really? Is that a thing you do? Have a goddess-damn hero complex or something? Well guess what, Mr Important Hero. I'm not going to become another problem everyone can pat you on the back for solving." That look of his did not falter. _He should be recoiling,_ she thought. _Why isn't he recoiling?_

She couldn't stand to look at him. Couldn't stand to be around someone who couldn't be bitten and refused to bite back. He had to be _so mature_ around her all the time.

"If you need me, I'll help you," he said. "You just need to ask."

Something about the way he said it carried utmost weight and sincerity. This was not a polite offer made with the intention of being refused. This was a promise. An oath. She so badly wanted to believe that deep down, he was just as rotten as her. But his actions proved over and over that he would walk through Din's Fire to save anyone. Even someone as undeserving as her.

One more test, she decided. "Did you really fight a molduking?" she whispered.

It wasn't his answer she sought after. It was how he delivered it. The hesitation. The bashfulness. The visible inner turmoil about whether she'd consider him a liar if he said yes or dull if he said no.

A slow nod. He was a risk-taker, through and through.

Mrs Twinrova ambled into the classroom as she scrutinised the pair. "Did anything happen?"

"Aside from your loud phone call?" Midna asked. "No. Not really. I'm excited to see how your sister tries to make you retire next."

The teacher's face scrunched up in fury. "Now listen here-"

"Oh, don't give me that crap. I only said that we could hear you from down the hall." She smiled coyly. "I'm trying to help you keep your private calls private."

Mrs Twinrova dragged her palms down her face. "How much do you know."

"Too much, I'm afraid." She gave a showy yawn. "Oh Farore, I could use some rest. You know, Link and I have had plenty of time to reflect on our actions and how _wrong_ we were. It would be a shame if we got into more trouble. Maybe say something we shouldn't?"

Mrs Twinrova's fuming gaze burrowed into Midna. She responded with a winner's grin. "Fine," the teacher spat. "I suppose detention is over for today. Get out of my classroom."

Midna sprinted into the hallway. Link dashed after her, hoping to say goodbye, but she threw herself into the outside world before he had the chance. The squeaky hinges of the flapping doors echoed throughout the hall.

* * *

One of the many inconveniences of having a grand quest was that Link frequently got behind on homework. Another issue was that whenever he sat himself down to play catch up, some kind of quest business would interrupt him.

He had just been sitting at his desk, answering a questionnaire on Hyrule's industrial revolution, when his slate chimed with a text from Midna.

_I need you to come to my house NOW_

_Everything ok?_

_No._ Three dots appeared. The anticipation was like a rollercoaster climbing a tall arch. _They're coming again._

That was all he needed to act. No time to ask who, what, or why. Boots. Jacket. Cap. He pattered down the stairs and passed Zelda at the dining table who had been staring far too intently at her pencil. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Midna's in trouble," Link texted that he was on his way and opened the door to the garage. "Be back by morning."

"Hey, wait-" Slam the door. Open the garage. Start the cycle. Down the road.

Whoever "they" were, he was coming for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have an announcement! Thanks to me over-achieving in NaNoWriMo, I have grown my backlog to 19 chapters, which means weekly updates! If my backlog ever shrinks to be only four, I'll probably go back to the fortnightly schedule, but that won't be happening for a looooong time.


	10. Lost in the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midna’s problems lead her and Link into the Lost Woods, where many secrets are revealed on both sides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo 10 chapters! Who's ready for some whacky midnight shenanigans?

Midna's house was only a few suburbs over from Link's. It was a newer, wealthier neighbourhood with clean-cut hedges and freshly mowed lawns. And palm trees. Why did rich people always favour palm trees? Many houses had glass windows and open designs. Sandy colours and rounded features.

Hers was different. It stood on the fringe of the neighbourhood, facing rows of pine trees just across the road. Two angular storeys of black granite with small, sparse rectangular windows. One on the top floor was shattered. Link almost tore himself away from the parked cycle when a voice from behind startled him.

"You actually came."

It was as if Midna had appeared from the shadows. To his relief, she appeared to have no new injuries. She wore a simple black, tight-fitted look from wrist to ankle with a leather jacket and combat boots. He caught his eyes tracing the curves of her legs.

"What do you need?"

Midna fiddled with a lock of hair. "You've seen a lot of Hyrule, right?" He nodded. "If someone had to hide something really important, where would they go?"

* * *

A light mist permeated the forest. Ghostly spirals and swirls so faint that anyone would guess they were a figment of the imagination. The trees themselves watched them drive by, but they had no faces. Not quite. It was as though something otherworldly was ever-so-slowly phasing into view.

Link and Midna drove along a broadly curved road with a reputation for funnelling vehicles in but never leading them out. It was nothing more than an urban legend, Midna knew, having made a few trips through this part of the forest before. But that was in the safe shell of a car. On a bike, she was far more exposed to the forest's mercy. Her hands tightened around the waist of the one who had explored these woods before.

A distant rumbling caused her heart rate to jump. In Link's rear-view mirror, a headlight emerged, followed by a motorbike with two plain-looking Hylian passengers. Midna stiffened, and Link sensed it.

It was gaining on them, and though there was a chance that they were just regular travellers, he wasn't about to see what happened if they tailgated. "Hold tight," he said. Her helmet pressed against his shoulder.

He slammed on the accelerator. The bike lurched forward. Wind clawed at their clothes as they sped around the bend. An engine screamed. Their pursuers rounded into rear-view. Same bike. Different riders. Gone were the Hylian disguises. White masks with flipped Sheikah symbols. Tight red bodysuits. The burly blademaster drove. The lanky archer aimed a crossbow loaded with a two-pronged, golden arrow.

Link swerved away from one, then another. They exploded against the road with an electric crackle. The gap between the bikes was closing. There would be no escaping a third arrow.

"I've got this!" Midna yelled. She snapped her fingers. Her helmet vanished. With the grace and flexibility of a trained gymnast, she swung her leg over Link's head. Her back pressed against his. Glowing, orange hair coiled around his chest. Blood red energy crackled between her palms. She thrust out her hands. Bolts shattered. The enemies' front wheel shot forth. Sparks flew as metal screeched against the road. The riders vanished.

A puff of smoke. The hovering archer shot. An arrow caught Link's front wheel. Jolts forced them to jump. They tumbled across the road. The bike spun and slammed into a nearby tree.

Link yanked off his helmet. A wavy-edged katana swiped at him. He rolled out of the way and leapt to his feet. The Master Sword materialised to parry a second strike. The enemy's stance wavered. Link thrust. The blademaster swerved. Steel nipped their side. They traded more blows. Link was faster. They were stronger. Weapons locked. The blademaster pressed down on him. Overpowering.

The archer's body slammed into Link's rival, sending both henchmen into a nearby trunk with a heavy "oomph!" The moment they recovered, they shrieked in alarm, and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Link whipped towards whatever had caused them to flee, and what he saw was nothing short of breath-taking.

Long tendrils of flaming hair flew about Midna. Her eyes glowed a piercing red. Veins of cyan blue extended from her fingertips and up her legs.

When she was certain the danger had passed, she met Link's wide-eyed wonder with a smirk. "What? Say something," she teased. "Am I so beautiful that you've no words left?"

* * *

"So, you really _are_ Mr Important Hero?" Link nodded. To quell Midna's pestering about the Master Sword, he told her everything as they trudged through the woods. As a targeted magic wielder, she arguably had a right to know anyway. She would keep it a secret as long as he did the same for her magic (though he established that he would have to inform Impa, Zelda, and Ganondorf).

"How long have you had magic for?" Link asked.

"About a year," Midna said. "Sort of. For a long time, there were hints. Whenever I got mad, things would fall off tables and shelves. Sometimes I'd be holding something, and it disappeared when I wasn't paying attention. Later I'd find myself holding it again." They both chuckled. "I found out when I was studying for an exam. I'd gotten an A minus on the last one, so Mum was breathing down my neck over this. She was coming up the stairs. I didn't want to deal with her again, so I sort of just…" She melted into the darkness.

Link's hand flew to his hilt, head twisting this way and that in search of whatever had taken her. She leapt from the shadows. "Boo!" He jolted. She clutched her sides as she cackled. "You should've seen your face!"

He chuckled with her. "Snap a pictograph next time." It was refreshing to see her loosen up, even when it was at his expense.

They talked some more about her powers. Apparently Midna used her shadow-walking ability to sneak out quite often, but her excursions were never eventful enough for her. "I need a break from the family sometimes, but I can't go anywhere fun in case someone recognises me," she said. "I hate to think what my parents would do if they found out about my powers."

"If you did go out, where to?"

"I love indie music, so probably local gigs."

Midna wondered if she was sharing too much about herself, but Link was the first person she could actually talk to about this kind of thing. It was so freeing to finally have someone else who understood and accepted the side of her she was most proud of yet was forced to hide from the world. After a while though, she noticed his slight frown. "Something wrong?"

"Do you know who those people were?" Link asked.

"No. You?"

"Impa warned me about them. They're members of the Yiga Clan. It's some cult of Sheikah who worship the Demon King from the legends."

"Freaky," Midna wooed. "I feel so much better knowing that I've been attacked by cultists this entire time."

"How long have you been dealing with them?"

"A few days. I didn't realise at first. It started with little things. Pizza I didn't order. Plumbers we never booked. I turned them away each time. They got me when they posed as my brother." Midna hesitantly pushed back her hair to reveal the cut near her right eye. "That was how I got this." She was aware that he had seen it, but there was something vulnerable about _choosing_ to share it. "They were no match for me though," she said, flashing him a wicked grin.

"That's why you wanted to go home so badly."

Midna nodded solemnly. "If they came again, I had to be the one by the door. Not Mum. Not Zant. I guess that's why they tried the window next."

Words could not describe the unique blend of sorrow and admiration Link felt for Midna in that moment. Her willingness to be the first line of defence to protect her family, and the fact that the burden fell upon her because she was gifted with powers she never chose to have. It made him wonder, were the Yiga Clan terrorising any other civilians around Hyrule? If it made it onto the news, Zelda would have told him about it, as she was keeping a close eye on current affairs for clues about the next medallion's location.

"What are they after?" Link asked.

Midna snapped a relic into her hands. The light of Link's slate revealed an odd, helmet-like structure that appeared to be made of stone, yet she held it as if it were lighter. Cracks cut through otherworldly carvings. A single eye bore into his soul. The relic radiated a dark energy. Uncomfortable. Uncanny.

"You feel it too, don't you?" He nodded. Something about them drew up feelings of nostalgia and great unease. For what? Link did not know. "They're called the Fused Shadows, and they've been passed down through my family for generations. Legend says they once held great power, but also great darkness. They only started emanating that weird energy a few weeks ago."

"That's around when we pulled the sword."

The Fused Shadows dispersed into black particles. "My magic became more powerful as well."

As they continued through the woods, the mists around them thickened at a gradual pace. Wisps gently swirled through the air, and the faintest blue light glowed all around them, just beyond the fog. First it was beautiful, and then it gradually constricted, as if thousands of hidden eyes were watching them.

A distant, slow jingle prickled Link's ear, and Midna squinted at a faint blue orb glowed just beyond the mist.

Link hid behind a tree. Midna followed his lead. He summoned the crossbow and loaded it. From there, he crept between the trees with Midna close behind. Each time, he'd poke his head around the side to view the light. They got close enough to see the outline of a lantern floating in mid-air, as if carried by a ghost.

Oh, for Din's sake, did it have to be ghosts? The very idea of the undead made Midna want to scrunch herself up like a sheet of paper and toss herself under a dresser.

Link had heard of these ones before. Poes. They had the power to turn invisible, but the vessels that held their souls had corporal form. The key to defeating them was simple. Break the lantern; kill the poe.

An arrow shattered the lantern, but the dying poe let out a shrill scream. The tiny body of a crude, patchwork doll with a scythe hit the dirt. Suddenly, dozens of rattling noises closed in. Link stashed the crossbow and sprinted along the dirt path with Midna close behind. More lanterns flew from the mist, accompanied by tiny shrieks of rage. They ran back the way they came only to be flanked by more poes. Link drew the Master Sword and swatted at them. They bobbed and weaved out of the way. Midna tried to impale the lanterns with her hair but couldn't pin down a single one. An invisible scythe sliced the tip of one of her locks.

"That's it!" she yelled. Midna slammed her hands against the ground. A circle of black rimmed with orange lightning expanded, locking the poes in place. It was a useless attack, really. She just needed a breather.

The full spin of a sword shattered the lanterns. Several tiny corpses fell. Midna sprung up in shock as Link performed a victorious swish of his blade. "Couldn't have used that trick earlier?" he teased.

She gaped at him. He had a few thin cuts but was completely unbothered by her spell. "Why didn't you freeze?" Link tilted his head. "That spell should've worked on you too."

He glanced at the Triforce on his hand. "Maybe this has something to do with it?" Midna burst out laughing. "What?"

"You're way too casual about this," she said. "Everyone builds up the Triforce to be this incredible, holy, mystical thing, but then I meet someone who has a piece of it and he's all like, 'It protects me from stuff? Oh. That's neat, I guess.'"

He flushed a little. "How do you want me to react?"

"Maybe some long, theatrical monologue wrestling with the curse of your destiny?" She put on a low, melodramatic voice as she flourished her hands. "Oh, woe is me! I have been blessed with this incredible power, but at what cost? This burden upon my shoulders is too great!" She finished with a swoon and laughed. Link was silent. "Hey, I was only teasing."

"It's not a curse," he said. "I'm new to magic, but I'm used to everything else."

 _He can't be serious,_ Midna thought. A grand destiny to save Hyrule from impending doom was higher stakes than frontline protests or urban exploration. Not even she could comprehend how immense the pressure would feel. If she were in his position, she'd be having a panic attack every other day. Link was either highly resilient or far more arrogant than he let on.

She suspected a combination of both. _Whatever helps him save Hyrule, I suppose._

The deeper they went into the woods, the more alive and peaceful it seemed. Sunset fireflies danced to a faint melody on the wind. Silent princesses fluttered on a gentle breeze, where they lured in pink orbs with iridescent wings. The mists gradually thinned as they drew near a large tree that towered over the forest. Its branches held sparse green leaves. Ridges formed a fatherly face with a downturned moustache and a gaping mouth. A soulless husk barely clinging to life.

During the Era of Magic, this tree once housed a guardian spirit who protected the forest. With the magical mists gradually returning to the Lost Woods, it would soon become the most naturally secure hiding place in Hyrule.

Together they entered the Great Deku Tree.

* * *

The moonlight from the entrance silhouetted Midna's figure, but otherwise it was complete darkness in every direction.

"Know any light spells?" Link asked. Both their slates were low on battery.

"Sure. Ask the shadow mage if she knows any light spells."

"Don't shadows need light to exist?"

A pause. "Shut up. It's not _that_ dark."

"I can't see anything."

Midna cursed his weak Hylian eyes as she seized his wrist and tugged him left. "There's a very obvious pathway spiralling up the tree." Their footsteps clicked against wooden floorboards

He silently prayed that Midna couldn't see his blush. They were _almost_ holding hands right now. Well, being yanked through the darkness by an impatient Twili probably wasn't the most romantic situation to be in. He shouldn't even be thinking of Midna in that way, lest he incur the wrath of Zelda, Tahk, and even the object of his affections.

"Watch your step," Midna said. Link tripped over a stray root, stumbling into her back. "What did I just say?"

"Let's go slower," he suggested.

"We don't have time to go slower!" she snapped. "What if those masked freaks come back?"

"Do they have night vision too?"

"I don't-" Midna sighed. "Let's take a break."

"Alright." She choked back a snicker as he felt around for the wall. Link sat down and pressed his back against it. Midna did the same.

There wasn't any noise aside from the barely audible chirp of a few distant insects. Combined with the pitch black, it was as though Link was sitting within the void. Only the touch of the tree grounded him.

"What can you see right now?" Link asked.

Minda huffed in annoyance. "Not much anymore. We're a decent way up the ramp, though. I'm sure we'll be fine."

"What if we run into a skulltula?"

She fell silent for a moment. "A what?"

"It's a spider. About as big as a ten-year-old."

"There are _giant spiders_ here and you didn't tell me?!"

Link winced. "I forgot."

"That settles it. We need a torch. Surely Mr I-Go-Adventuring-On-A-Whim knows how to scrounge one together?" He flushed red. "Well?" Midna asked impatiently.

"Yeah," he said timidly. "We need a thick stick, some tree sap, and…" He trained off.

"And what?"

"Some cloth strips."

"Where are we gonna to get those? For Din's sake, why do you look like you just walked into the girl's changing room?"

So, she _could_ see him blush. "I'll have to use my shirt."

"Oh." He could _hear_ that devilish smirk. "Tell me, is the torch an excuse?" Link buried his face with a groan. "Aww, the chosen hero is shy. How cute."

"Just find the other supplies." Pearls of laughter echoed through the darkness as she clacked down the ramp. With Midna preoccupied, he removed his jacket and slipped off his shirt. The cold air prickled his skin, so he quickly shook the jacket back on. Unbeknownst to him, Midna had stolen a look. She was curious as to what kind of physique the Literal Saviour of Hyrule would have, and though she was only treated to a small glimpse of his back, she was not disappointed.

Link's toned arms were already famous throughout the student body. A semi-regular talking point among her friends during the warmer months. Though she remained silent or attempted to divert conversation whenever the subject arose, a _very_ reluctant part of her agreed. They were arms you could feel safe and protected in, and they were arms that could do _plenty_ more.

The shoulder blades were a new experience that many would envy Midna for. The sharpness. The way they rolled. A handful of scars, some still healing, littered his skin. The stories they could tell. If he wasn't Zelda's brother, she _might_ have considered pursuing him. Life was too short to give a shit about what her parents thought.

Something clamped her ankle. She yelped in pain. "Midna!" Link stumbled towards her.

"Stop! You'll-" His foot found air. The rest toppled over the edge. A blast of magic killed the baba. She threw her hand over the side. An invisible force caught him just before he smashed against solid wood.

He hovered momentarily, then the force slowly hoisted him upwards. She had never used levitation on a person before, so this took an unprecedented level of concentration. And he was _heavy._ Her strength wavered, but he was almost there. Beads of sweat dripped from her forehead to his. She shifted closer. Pain shot through her ankle. A hiss. The magic broke. She seized his hand. The pull ached. Their palms were slick with sweat. Her nails dug into his wrist as she gritted her teeth and channelled her magic again.

A rough jerk. Link shot upwards. She had expected a rough landing, but she didn't expect him to land on _her._ Not to mention that his top half was only covered by an open jacket.

Given how much the darkness disoriented Link, he wasn't fully aware of what had happened. Though his body had momentarily slammed into something that wasn't wood, his hands and knees only felt the ramp, leaving him _completely_ unaware of the flustered Twili lying beneath him.

Coarse breath tickled his lips. "Get off."

He sprung to the side and buttoned up his jacket. Were the Goddesses trying to bless him or curse him? He had no clue and would rather have not been in that situation _at all._ Well, maybe under different, more consensual circumstances.

"Sorry about that," he said, turning towards her general direction. "Are you okay?"

"You're asking if _I'm_ okay?"

"You're hurt."

"And you almost broke your spine!"

"But I didn't." He was smiling. Why in Hylia's name was he smiling?

"People like you die young."

"I'll take short and exciting over long and boring," he said deviously, though his face softened a moment later. "What happened?" His attempt at eye contact was way off mark.

"A deku baba bit my ankle. It's not a big deal."

"It is," he said. "Can I see it?"

"Have you suddenly developed night vision?"

"That depends. Have you found the supplies?"

She glanced at the dead deku baba. Upon death, the carnivorous plants straightened their thick stalks and dried out instantly. She picked it up, broke off the head and held it up. He still stared past her. "I have a stick," she announced.

"And the sap?"

The smell hung in the air. She located a leakage just above and to the right of her head. "Yeah."

With a nod, Link crawled up the wooden ramp and felt around for his shirt and scraps. Watching how someone moved in perceived darkness was highly amusing. He retrieved the cloth strips and what was now a raw-edged crop top, stuffed them into his pockets, and crawled back. Midna guided his hand to the sap and awkwardly sat there as he hovered over her, closer than he probably realised. She _could_ have tried moving away but didn't want him to almost kill himself if she made another pained noise. Hormones had nothing to do with it! He rubbed the fabric scraps against the sap until they were sticky all over. When he finished, she held the stick out to him. He didn't even look at it. She lightly poked him. Link took it and tightly wound the fabric scraps around the tip with the sap-side facing outwards. It was impressive how well he worked with only his touch to guide him.

With the torch completed, he handed it to Midna. She used her magic to set it alight. The sudden brightness made her eyes water, but for Link it was a relief.

The small radius of light revealed the rough bark interior of the tree, the sap wound, and Midna's slight grimace. Link felt a bit bashful when he realised the proximity they had when he was collecting the sap, but he focused on her ankle. The leather of her combat boot had a curve of punctures peaking into dark red. He reached a hand towards her but stopped shy, silently asking for permission. She nodded.

He untied the laces and carefully slipped the shoe off. Blood soaked the rim of her sock. The puncture wounds weren't too deep, having been stalled by the leather, but there was a ring of bruising. "Should we turn back?" Midna shook her head. "Think you can walk on it?"

"Maybe," she said. "Probably need to rest it for a bit."

Link pulled his shirt out of his pocket and tore it into thick strips. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Bandages."

"Oh." Her cheeks warmed a little. It amused her when he had to tear up his shirt for a purpose that served _both_ of them, but now he was oh-so-selflessly sacrificing the rest of it just for her. She didn't deserve this.

After dressing her wound, she opted to put the shoe back on herself even though it caused her more pain. They chatted idly for a bit, even coming up with a little game. Midna would recount what her father told her about Link's exploits, and then Link would state his version. It was wild how they differed.

"Dad once said that you and five other people loitered on some train tracks. You caused two hours of delays."

"Did he mention our big _Stop fracking in Gerudo Valley_ sign?"

"Nope. He _conveniently_ left that part out."

They chuckled, but it mellowed into a tense silence. Though Link was enjoying these moments with Midna, there was the lingering fear that if she so desired it, she could get him into a lot of trouble.

Midna must have read his expression. "Hey, I want you to know that I'll never side with my dad, okay? No matter how much you annoy me." He smiled weakly but kept his head bowed, almost as if _she_ was a cop he was trying to minimise conflict with. "Dad likes to make himself out to be some big hero protecting the city from people like you, but no matter how he tells it, he's silencing some kids who are trying to change this fucked up world."

When he remembered the lie she told her father at her own personal risk, Link had no choice but to believe her. "Thanks for saying that."

"The trespassing though? I'm not sure I can defend that."

"Neither can I." That stupid grin of his was back. _Oh goddesses._

"Can I ask you something, though?" He nodded. "You said that when it comes to this quest, you're new to magic, but you're used to everything else. Did you really mean that?"

Link thought for a moment. "Sort of. Questing and protesting have a lot in common, but I'd say questing is easier."

"But isn't it worse? The entire fate of Hyrule rests on your shoulders."

"Exactly," he said. "Fighting systemic injustice is hard. It takes years and millions of people to make something change. This evil can be defeated by three people finding some magic coins. Wish all problems were that simple."

"That's an interesting way to put it," Midna said thoughtfully. "But it's still hard. You must be worried about something you've never dealt with before." That felt rather audacious to say, even for her. She was asking him to be open in a way that only friends would be. And she was the last person worthy of his friendship

But he surprised her. "I guess there's one thing." She scooted a little closer, ready and willing to listen. "It's Zelda." Midna flinched and turned away. "Sorry. Shouldn't have mentioned her."

She waved it off. "It's fine. Keep going."

"You sure?"

"Doubt me again and I'll doubt how many braincells you have."

"That's a hell of a way to say, 'I'm here for you'," he joked, but his tone turned serious. "Ganon and I are equipped for this. We've had each other's backs and trained together for years. But Zelda? She always stayed out of trouble. I never had to worry about her." He sighed. "I guess that's the only thing that's changed."

Midna nodded solemnly. Though her relationship with her younger brother wasn't nearly as positive as the Harkinian twins', she understood what he meant. Her desire to protect Zant from those masked henchmen was partially why they were here, after all.

But the mention of Zelda reminded Midna exactly who she was and who she was with. Everything about this situation was wrong. She had dragged Zelda's brother on some impromptu quest to the woods in the middle of the goddess-damn night where he had already brushed with death at least three times.

The sooner the night ended, the better.

They made their way up the creaky ramp. Midna held the torch in one hand and pressed her other against the wooden wall for support. Link kept his ears as sharp as the sword in his hand. Midna's eyes saw further into the darkness than Link's could, so she would let him know whenever there was another deku baba in their path. With their senses combined, no more nasty surprises would harm them.

Link suddenly stopped. There was faint clicking noise.

He pointed into the darkness above their path. "Can you see something?" As Midna squinted, she could make out a large spider hanging from the ceiling. Eight spindly legs twitched in anticipation. The hand holding the torch quivered. "Skulltula?" he asked.

"Looks like it," she tremored. "What do we do?"

"Shoot it down."

"Seriously? You want to make it angry?"

"It'll get the drop on us if we don't," Link said. "Shoot it down and I'll take care of the rest."

Deep breath. _Trust him._ She handed Link the torch and raised her palms. Energy cracked between them. She released it. The thread snapped. Agitated clicking. Several legs scuttled against wood. Midna backed away. Link charged, torch in one hand and sword in the other. He slid the blade under the menacing arachnid and flipped it over. Those horrid legs thrashed. The sword plunged into the stomach. A dying shriek. The legs curled inwards. Link yanked his weapon out. Yellow fluid oozed from the wound and dripped from the blade. He kicked the corpse off the path. It landed at the base of the tree with a sickening crunch. Midna shuddered. He walked down the ramp with a smile. "That wasn't so bad."

She snatched the torch. "Shut up."

A few minutes later, the ceiling forced them to crouch and crawl. They reached a trapdoor. Link pushed it open and hauled himself through. Midna handed him the torch. There was no need for it anymore, so he blew it out and tossed it aside. She pulled herself out from the dark room and hovered onto her feet, weight on her good ankle. Link closed the door with a heavy thud.

The area was flooded with moonlight. Nothing but walls of wood and bark and the odd ingrown tree branch was visible, until she twisted around. A menacing, empty eye socket stared into her. The crumbling exoskeleton of a three-limbed spider as massive as a shipping container. What messed up law of nature, magical or otherwise, thought it was okay to let such a monstrosity _exist?_

"That's our hiding spot," said Link.

Midna gaped at him. "You want me to hide my family heirloom inside a _spider corpse?!"_

"No one would think to look there."

He had a point and she was too tired to argue. She summoned the Fused Shadows and held it out to him. "You do it. I'm not going _near_ that thing." Link nodded and reached out. Just before he even grazed the surface, a voice rang out.

"There will be no need for that." The startle dispersed the Shadows as the pair spun around. A red trench coat the same colour as those masked henchmen instantly conjured nerves and revulsion in Midna's gut. She had no clue who this freak was, but she already had an overwhelming desire to kick his ass.

"Ghirahim," Link gritted.

"Why are you after my heirloom?" Midna demanded.

Cold laughter coiled around them. "Did you really think we were after some old relic? No…" That slimy smirk dripped from every syllable. "We were after you, Midna Ozul."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to end this chapter here because it was getting too long so now you have to sit on this cliffhanger for a week. You're welcome :D
> 
> Also the freaking shirtless scene was not planned. The plot conspired against me to make it happen and I, as an asexual, do not understand sexual tension. Not even a little. I did my best.


	11. My Life to Risk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midna and Link are having none of Ghirahim’s bullshit, so Ghirahim responds by resurrecting a super arachnid at 3am.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I asked Midna and she said this totally wasn't a first date but idk it was pretty sus to me :l

Link stepped in front of Midna, sword drawn and rage stirring within his soul. "You can't have her."

 _Idiot_ , Midna thought sorrowfully. He shouldn't be protecting her. He should be trying to escape. How stupid she was to involve Link in her personal issues.

"Don't be so dramatic," Ghirahim said. "I'm not here to threaten her. I want to recruit her."

Midna's guilt vaporised into anger. "I'm right here, you ashy-faced menace." She stepped forward, disguising her limp as best she could. "And the answer is no. Sending your cronies to smash up my house doesn't have me frothing at the mouth to join your stupid cult."

"Then allow me to-"

"I said _no!_ " She thrust her hand. A blast of magic forced him to disperse. He reappeared.

"If you would let me-" Another blast. Every time Ghirahim tried to get a word in, Midna hurled an attack. He reappeared atop the rim of the tree with a scowl. "So, you choose death?"

"I'm choosing to kick your ass!" Midna was livid. Incensed. Those spandex-wearing cronies had deceived her, attack her, and it was all because they wanted to recruit her? She wouldn't _ever_ inflict the same strife onto others, and she was insulted that they would even _think_ she'd consider it. "Get down here and fight me, coward!"

Ghirahim rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. A vial of pudgy black and magenta goo glinted in the moonlight. "Funny thing about these woods," he said as he popped off the cork. "Things rarely stay dead, especially when there is darkness nearby." The malice slipped from the vial. With a wink at Midna, Ghirahim dispersed.

The moment the malice splattered onto the corpse, it stirred. Flesh formed between the rapidly mending cracks and gaps. A guttural squeal sent birds fleeing.

Link dashed towards the trapdoor to find it closed without a handle. He pulled out the Master Sword and dug it into the crack. All efforts to pry it open were futile, as if it were just a square carved into wood. "Midna, use your magic to- MIDNA!"

The fully-formed Gohma leered over her with its bright yellow eye. The exoskeleton was black with a bottle green sheen. Midna as she limped backwards, eyes wide with terror, until her back bumped into the wall. "Hide in the shadows!" Link ordered. She didn't register his voice. All she knew was that monstrous eye.

Link sheathed the sword and bolted. Gohma raised a claw. He hurled himself into Midna. They tumbled across the floor. The claw thumped into wood. Link rolled to his feet, drew his sword, and sliced at the stuck limb. The blade bounced off with a metallic clang. The talon ripped free and swung at him. He dove aside.

As Link kept the creature distracted, Midna slowly gained her bearings. There were two things she was afraid of: arachnids and the undead, so an undead super-arachnid was the height of terrifying! Her breath was erratic. Her body trembled. Her heart banged against her ribcage like it was trying to break out and run. Yet her body refused to move.

A talon descended upon Link. He leapt to the right, then left to avoid another. With both claws buried in wood, Link ran at the eye with the point of his sword. A hard eyelid clamped over, rebounding the blade. Gohma's head rammed into him. He fell hard on his back. His head throbbed. His vision blurred. He sat up groggily and cradled his head. The sound of splintering wood barely registered, and neither did the approaching talon. A magical force jerked him back, but the sharp tip tore through cloth and skin. An agonised scream ripped from his throat.

His barely conscious form zipped into Midna's arms as she knelt. Blotches of blood spread from the large tear in his green jacket. She swallowed down bile and faced the approaching creature.

She blasted at the eye. It clamped shut. Her magic rebounded. Midna ducked. The attack scorched the wood just behind her.

Huge. Menacing. Invincible. The chosen hero and his sacred blade were unable to even scratch Gohma. But he was just a boy with a slicing weapon against an armoured creature. Midna was nothing more than a tired, frightened girl with a few useless magic tricks. What could she do?

_The Fused Shadows once held great power, but also great darkness._

It might go horribly wrong, or it might not work at all, but they were out of options and out of time. She gingerly lay Link down, summoned the relic, and slipped it over her head.

The darkness shot through her like a scorching heat. Wicked thoughts dug into her consciousness like thousands of long, tiny fingernails. _Succumb,_ they said. _Succumb to power. Succumb to darkness._ But Midna refused to succumb. She knew darkness. Long ago, she had succumbed to her own darkness. If she could claw her way out of that, then she could claw her way out of this as well.

Midna dedicated her every thought to telling the shadows that _she_ was the master. It was going to serve _her._ She stubbornly pushed two simple goals through the overwhelming darkness to the forefront of her mind. _Kill the monster. Get Link to safety._

Black and yellow goo gushed from the Fused Shadows and swallowed her form. They shaped into seven long, thick, pulsing arms. Midna rose above the creature's height and stared it down. With a squeal and a roar, they lunged at each other. The creatures wrestled, rolled, and smashed about the area. Talons dug into goo but left no damage. Midna's pounding fists made no mark on the exoskeleton.

Link's eyes cracked open. A second monster. Midna gone. He tried to sit upright but the slightest contraction of his abdomen forced a ragged cry of pain. His blurry vision focused upon the new monster's helmet. _The Fused Shadows!_ They tumbled towards him. He needed to move. Now!

Flesh squelched against flesh. Blood squeezed from the wound. After five seconds of agonizing eternity, he was on his feet and half-running, half-stumbling out of the monsters' path. His right hand clutched his middle. A feeble attempt to keep his insides inside.

Midna flipped Gohma onto its back and pinned it down with four arms. It thrashed in her grip. Two hands dung beneath the eyelid and pried it open. The flails increased, forcing Midna to still it with her remaining arm. Not a single limb could be spared to attack the exposed eye.

Tiny, uneven footsteps ran towards the creature. A pained battle cry melded with steel trailing wood. Link buried the Master Sword up to the hilt. Gohma screeched in pain. He pushed the blade back and forth, widening the hole and completely maiming the iris. Yellow fluid spurted. The screeches and thrashes died down into gurgles and twitches. Then silence and stillness.

The blade dispersed. Link's trembling legs buckled. His knees thudded against wood, followed by the rest. A yellow arm coiled around his torso while a second cradled him. His arms and legs hung limply as the giant crept up the wall, over the rim, and down the tree.

At the base, Midna gently set him down and released the transformation. The goo retreated into the Fused Shadows. With a snap of her fingers, the relic disappeared.

She doubled over. Panting. Head throbbing. It was as though a supernatural force had delivered a swift punch to her skull at every conceivable angle.

Link's pained groans restarted her adrenaline. Beside her, he struggled to prop himself up with trembling arms. "And just what do you think you're doing?" Midna sharped.

"Leaving," he said hoarsely.

"Do you honestly think you can just get up and waltz out of the woods right now?" He either ignored her or answered by getting to his feet, poorly hiding the pain it wrought. On the second step, he crumpled. Midna caught him, struggling to keep them both upright on her injured ankle. Blood soaked her abdomen. Though she was exhausted, she mustered just enough magical energy to ease Link onto his back. He tried to sit up again, but Midna pressed him down with a hand. "No. You're hurt."

"I'm fi-" He coughed flecks of blood.

Oh. Shit.

It slowly dawned on Midna just how dire the situation was. Sure, she knew he was in bad shape, and she knew he could barely stand, but that could've been the injury tied with exhaustion. It didn't mean death was so close! When Link met her on the stairs of Hyrule Castle, he chased her as if his injuries were mere decoration. She now knew that was after he had been flung around by a killer plant, so for Link to be in _this_ state meant there was something very, very wrong.

She reached towards the buttons of his jacket. "Can I?" No response. His eyes were half closed. His breath shallow, as if he only had the energy to intake just enough air to prevent suffocation. Through the slash of his jacket, there was only red.

Midna frantically unbuttoned his jacket. The blood made her fingers slip and fumble, but she somehow did it and ripped the jacket open to reveal- _Oh gods-fucking dammit, Link!_

The sight made her gag. There were _parts_ of him exposed that she shouldn't ever see. She hated herself for not pulling him out in time. Maybe even pulling him out at all. Being cleaved in half would have been a nicer death than _slowly bleeding out in the middle of the Lost Woods!_

Her mind fumbled for a plan. She couldn't carry him out, magic or otherwise. Her powers were spent. She couldn't call for help because there was no signal this far out in the woods. If she left him alone to find help elsewhere, that trench coat-wearing bastard could jump out from hiding to finish the job.

There was no option other than to.

Sit there.

With him.

As he passed peacefully.

Perhaps Link would appreciate her company in his final moments, or at least appreciate it as much as he could in his current state. She wasn't oblivious, having picked up on the hints that he felt something for her that he shouldn't. Nothing about it made sense to her, but it was kind of nice that someone had the capacity to like her when she struggled to like herself.

He murmured something inaudible. She leaned in so her ear was inches from his mouth. "Zelda…" he quietly croaked. "I-I'll be okay… Always… am…"

After holding herself together second-by-second, Midna finally broke. Zelda. She would have to confront _Zelda_. She would have to knock on Zelda's door, drenched in her brother's blood, and explain that he wasn't coming home because stupid Midna had dragged him into stupid danger and was too stupid to drag him out of it. She would have to witness Zelda's tears and trauma and know that she was responsible for it. All over again. Midna would sooner run away to the Dark World than face that.

Tears cascaded down her cheeks. Her hands clasped over her mouth to muffle her sobs. Link mumbled again. "W-why are you crying, Zelda?"

"Shut up!" she cried. "I'm not Zelda, and I will never be Zelda." Midna hadn't felt this awful about herself since-

A small light twinkled in the corner of her eye. Her breath caught. It had a pinkish glow with clear, iridescent wings. Midna dared to hope it was just the miracle she needed. A healing fairy.

They had spotted a few on the way to the Great Deku Tree, fluttering about the silent princesses. This one was about ten metres away. She shakily stood and limped over to it as fast as she could, ready to pluck it from the air with her bare fingers. The fairy chimed in shock and disappeared in a puff of glitter. Great. She had chased away Link's only lifeline.

But fairies were said to flutter close by each other. Midna picked the silent princess and limped through the woods as quietly as she could. Exercising patience in such a time sensitive situation was a true test of her remaining willpower, but she had to trust that Link would hold on long enough.

Then she saw it. Another fairy floating aimlessly between the trees. Midna's steps softened as she approached, extending the flower. The mind of a healing fairy wasn't as bright as its glow, so it hardly noticed the offering until Midna held it inches away from its front. The fairy casually fluttered after it as Midna took great care to not spook the creature. When they reached Link, he was pale, corpse-like, with an expanding pool of blood beside him.

She lay the flower atop his chest. It had the barest hint of a rise and fall. The fairy floated down and upon sensing the young boy's dire state, jingled in alarm. It fluttered in rapid circles above them, sprinkling his entire body with glowing dust before disappearing into the cool night breeze.

Blood receded into the wound. Organs melded together. It was like watching the injury being inflicted in reverse, except the skin formed a nasty scar straight across his abdomen.

After a tense moment, Link's eyes flew open. He gasped and sprung upright, as if he were still mid-battle. "What just happened?" He caught Midna's wide stare, tear-stained cheeks, and hands clasped over her mouth. "Are you okay?"

How in Din's name was she supposed to answer that? Less than a minute ago, he was drifting off to the Sacred Realm. Now he looked healthier than ever. Even his bruises and cuts from the molduga fight had vanished. He looked… fine. Completely fine! And Midna was completely unsure what to think about it.

She stared at his abdomen. Link assumed that she must be flustered seeing his bare chest, so he reached for the first button.

"I've seen your stomach lining," she breathed. "We're well past modesty."

Confusion flashed across his face. He glanced down at himself and jolted. "Din almighty!"

"What do you remember?"

Though Link's mind was clear, his memories were hazy. "I remember hitting my head, and then there was a lot of pain right here." He traced the scar on his abdomen. "I think there was also a giant yellow spider fighting Gohma? Maybe I was seeing things."

"That was me, asshole," she said in jest.

"Thought so," Link said. "Interesting look for you."

"Shut up and keep going."

"Right. Things got really blurry after that. I remember stabbing something." He glanced over himself. "Is that why I'm covered in bug juice?"

"It's also why you stink of it," Midna said. "You maimed that thing's eye."

"Yeah, that's the last thing I remember. Other than pain. Wait. Did I try to walk it off at some point?"

She chuckled. "You couldn't make it two steps."

"I'm sorry you had to see that. Stomach and all." He frowned. "How'd you heal me?"

Midna relayed the tale. She did _not_ mention Link's mumblings or her breakdown. As the events played out in her mind, she realised that the fairy had circled _both_ of them. Her ankle no longer ached. Curious, she removed her shoe. The bandage had a few spots of blood. Upon removal, there was only a ring of scars. She also traced the thin scar on her face. "The little sprite healed me too." The bags under their eyes had faded, and they were feeling as refreshed as if they had just taken a nap.

"Guess that means I won't have to carry you out," he teased.

"Oh, how disappointing!" Midna held the bandage out. "Want your shirt back?" He flushed and buttoned up his jacket.

They discussed their next course of action. Midna would hold onto the Fused Shadows for now and try to stay in areas where the Yiga would be forced to cause a scene if they ever attacked. Link insisted on stronger protections, but Midna quickly shut him down. "Stop worrying. I can take care of myself."

He sighed. "I know you can."

Since Midna was very much opposed to a 30-minute bike ride with someone caked in blood and bug juice and Link wasn't a fan of the grime either, they stopped by a pond. Midna sat behind a tree, back to trunk, as Link quickly bathed his torso. She used her magic to siphon off as much mess as she could from the jacket and her own attire. It was an… _interesting_ situation, but thankfully Midna gave him a break from her teasing remarks.

"Link, can I ask you something?" He hummed an affirmative as he washed his lower arm. "Why do you think Ghirahim wanted to recruit me?"

"Dunno," he said. "You're a powerful mage. Probably didn't want you siding against him."

She tossed the somewhat clean jacket behind the tree without looking. "Yeah, but I don't know why he thought I'd consider it. Like, does he think I _want_ to be evil?"

"He seems a bit dim." Link retrieved the jacket and slipped it on. "First time we met, he confused Ganondorf for the Demon King or something."

"Wait. Seriously?"

"Yeah. Ganon wasn't having it. Almost strangled the poor guy."

"Can't blame him," Midna said. "If someone referred to me as evil incarnate, I'd be pissed too." Link's revelation made her feel a bit better about herself. Ghirahim being terrible at scouting members was a far more comforting theory than how much dark potential he saw in her.

About half-an-hour later, they reached Link's motorcycle, still leaning against the tree it had smacked into.

"Are-you-sure-it-will-work?" Midna strained as she and Link hauled it upright. "Looks pretty banged up."

Link hopped on and turned the key. It took a few tries, but the engine caught. "It's been through worse."

Midna didn't expect the ride home to be as pleasant as it was. Sure, she was having to grip Link's still-grimy jacket, and she was as tired as a cursed princess, _and_ she had witnessed several unpleasant things that night. But it had also been _exhilarating_. She understood why Link was a thrill-seeker. A shame she would never get to experience that for herself again.

But now, as the horizon revealed a sliver of pink, there was no danger after them. No creepy woods or demonic cultists or bleeding wounds. Just her and Link on a calm ride at the crack of dawn.

This was another moment she would never experience again.

Midna's chest tightened the moment they rounded the corner to her house. The light of the bedroom next to hers was on. "Zant's awake! I gotta go." She leapt off the cycle and threw her helmet at Link. It smacked into his chest. Before he could offer a goodbye, she dove into the shadows.

He blinked at the spot she disappeared into, jarred by the sudden exit. Not wanting any other members of the Ozul household to catch him, he stored the helmet and reluctantly drove away.

Without any grand objectives like hiding ancient relics or protecting classmates, Link's mind could finally wander a little as he drove home. Perhaps he should be reflecting on how close he came to death, but he _really_ didn't want to dwell on that, so it was easier to reflect on more trivial matters. Like his heart.

His crush on Midna was never something he denied to himself. Just other people. He simply acknowledged that it was there and nothing could come of it. Unrequited feelings were a part of life. It still left him with a desire to know her, befriend her, and spend time with her, and he had no qualms with following those desires as long as a certain line wasn't crossed.

Tonight had drawn him closer to that line. She openly showed sides of herself that he had only seen glimpses of beyond the curtain of her shrewish nature, and _that_ was the essence that had made him fall for her in the first place. It was dangerous to like Midna this much.

But he was loyal to Zelda first. That was a non-negotiable fact. That was why the line had been drawn.

The moment Link's bike rolled into the garage, the door to the house burst open.

"LINK RUNE HARKINIAN!"

Zelda stomped towards him. Her face was red with anger, her eyes ringed with dark purple, and her cheeks stained by tears. "Do you have _any_ idea how long you've been out?"

Link parked. "About eight hours?"

"Precisely! I've been worrying about you for _eight hours._ I am at my wit's end with you."

Link did not answer, but his stomach did.

"Inside!" Zelda barked. "Breakfast will be ready soon."

* * *

The kitchen was a mess of dirty dishes, empty ingredient bags, and batter stains. A whole night's worth of stress baking in a feeble attempt to calm Zelda's nerves. Usually she would tidy as she went along, so Link had never thought her capable of creating such a mess.

"I've been worried sick, Link. So worried. Do you know what happened when I ran out of cinnamon?"

"No?"

"I used paprika. _Paprika!_ Would you like a paprika bun, dear brother?" She shoved fresh-out-of-the-oven tray in his face.

"Uh. Sure."

Zelda slammed the tray down, fetched a plate, and threw one of the buns onto it. She seized a bowl and threw a dollop of icing on top. Then she looked him dead in the eye and tipped the bowl upside down. Icing splattered all over the plate and counter.

Link grimaced. "That's too sweet for me."

"I hope your teeth rot."

She held the plate out to him. He kept his arms tightly crossed over his abdomen. "I should go to bed."

"Shut up and eat your breakfast, you ungrateful jerk!" Link still didn't take it. She prodded the plate at his chest.

"Look. I'm sorry for running off with Midna."

"Midna? This has nothing to do with Midna. This is about _you._ " The hand holding the plate trembled, so she set it down. "You ran off with barely any explanation for the entire goddess-damn night and then wouldn't answer any of my calls."

"I've done this kind of thing before."

"Stop acting like everything is the same as it was before! It's not. We have a demon assassin after us now. I thought you had walked into a trap. I thought he _killed_ you! I thought…" She trailed off. This was usually the moment when Link would reach for her, comfort her, tell her that he was fine. But his arms were still crossed protectively over his abdomen. Dark stains peaked from behind.

"Are you hiding something from me?"

He backed away. "No, Zel. I'm fine."

She paced closer. "What's wrong with your jacket?"

"Nothing."

"Take it off, Link."

"I'm going to bed."

"Jacket. Off. _Now._ "

They glared at each other for a short stalemate, and though Zelda's features were screwed up in rage, Link couldn't bring himself to say no to those pleading eyes. He reached for the first button. A blood-soaked tear witn no injury beyond it. Until he pulled it off. She clasped her hands over her mouth.

The thick, gnarled scar cut diagonally across his abdomen, just shy of his belly button. A thousand gruesome images rushed through her head. "What happened?" she demanded.

"It's a long story."

"I've been waiting _eight hours_ to hear this story, and I won't wait a moment longer." Zelda fetched a blanket from the nearby couch and threw it over his shoulders. Then she took his jacket, opened the laundry cupboard, and threw it in the washing machine. "I'll put on the kettle. Sit down and start talking."

Link explained everything, though toned down some of the more upsetting details for her. "Gohma got a hit on me during the fight, but it was fine. Midna found a healing fairy."

Zelda almost dropped her tea cup. "A fairy?"

"Yeah. Anyway, we decided that-"

"Do you have any idea how _astronomically_ lucky you were?" He pulled the blanket tighter around himself. "Link, it's scaring me how little you care."

"It doesn't make a difference," he said. "I lived, didn't I?"

"Yes, but-"

"But what?" he snapped. "Everything's fine. I'm fine. You don't need to worry."

"You always do this!" Zelda screamed, hot tears pouring down her face. "You _always_ tell me not to worry about you. I know I tend to overreact, but every time you say that, do you honestly think it makes me less worried?" He said nothing. "It just invalidates how I feel."

She glared at Link with those puffy eyes. Those tears he hated to see. Those tears _he_ had caused and couldn't fix because Zelda had just obliterated his usual method. When Zelda worried about him, he was forced to worry about himself, but if he worried about himself, he couldn't be the hero Hyrule needed: someone who could throw himself into danger headfirst and tumble out for another round every time.

"You know how it is, Zel," he said. "Someone's in trouble. I have to help out. It's going to be dangerous. You need to accept that."

"That was, without a doubt, the most _condescending thing_ you have ever said to me," she seethed. "I don't think you understand how hard it is to have a brother like you." The words stung, but he listened patiently. "I love you, Link. I really do. But _this,_ " she gestured at his abdomen, "is something I've grown up with. Broken bones. Concussions. Even a rubber bullet once." She prodded the blanket, near a scar on his shoulder. "I've sat by you in the emergency room more times than I can count. You're a thrill-seeker, I respect that, but it feels like you never want to consider all the risks, and _that_ is why I'm worried."

Link pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's my life to risk," he said, fighting back the urge to raise his voice. "And I always come out fine. You shouldn't worry about it."

"Worrying about you is a fact of life!" Zelda exclaimed. "And frankly, this quest has me more worried than ever. You're facing deadlier obstacles than ever before, and you don't even care. I just want you to ask yourself, 'What if the worst happens?' more often. Maybe I'd worry less if you thought to worry about _yourself_ for a change."

Her words cut deep, down to his soul, but he shouldn't dwell on them. He _couldn't._ If he wasted time thinking through all the possible consequences, doing whatever it was that Zelda demanded, the March sisters would still be trapped, the molduking would have crushed dozens, and Midna would've been abducted by the Yiga Clan. Yes, he was facing unimaginable danger like never before, but not once did he regret how he handled it. The strategy was simple. Survive minute by minute. Worry only about what matters in the present moment. Personal consequences can and should be dealt with later, because they only matter later.

But right now was later. He had almost died, and now he needed to resolve the conflict it caused with Zelda. He just couldn't _afford_ to be overly concerned with his own mortality. As the supposed hero of Hyrule, he didn't have the privilege of dwelling on his fear.

"I don't regret doing what I had to," Link said, "but I'm sorry for making you think your feelings don't matter. I'll do better."

Zelda sighed. "That's the best I'm going to get from you, isn't it?" Link hung his head. She threw her arms around him. Tears soaked the blanket on his shoulder. "I love you. Don't you _ever_ make me lose eight hours of sleep ever again."

"Yeah, okay." He returned the embrace. "I love you too."

They stayed in that moment for a while, simply appreciating the fact that they could hold each other after a long night. Another growl from Link's stomach interrupted them. He was _famished._

Zelda pulled away. "Do you want to try some of my baked goods? I made brownies, biscuits, three different kinds of cake. Only one thing, though." Impa was very strict about healthy eating. "I'm going to have to hand most of this out to my friends."

"I'd like to try one of those paprika buns," he said. "Without icing, though."

With a sniffle and a nod, she went to the kitchen, plated up two buns, and set one before him. It smelled… _interesting_. Smokey, yet sickly sweet. He took a large bite and almost choked. The taste of burnt sugar combined with spice filled his mouth. He forced himself to chew and swallow it down.

"You don't like it?" Zelda asked.

"No, no. Just wasn't expecting it."

She scrutinised him as she had a nibble, then coughed. "I _knew_ I shouldn't have replaced the sugar with treacle. It's _horrible._ "

"I'd have another go at paprika buns," he said. "If turmeric lattes can exist, these could work out too."

"A waste of ingredients if you ask me."

"Says the one who just used up everything."

Zelda swatted him playfully. "Oh, shut up."

They went into the kitchen to test taste all of Zelda's baked goods and declared the cinnamon swirl cake the most edible by a thin margin. They each sat down with a slice and an apple with a third serve on the table for Impa who would be home any minute.

Link prodded at his last remaining bite, which had an unusually large lump of flour in it. "Hey, Zel?" She hummed attentively. "Are you sure you don't blame Midna for what happened?"

"She saved your life, didn't she?" He nodded. "Honestly, with so much on our shoulders, I don't see a reason to hold onto some petty grudge." Zelda smiled mischievously. "Besides, I can always show her up in the debate tomorrow."

"You mean today?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of this chapter wasn't planned and the stuff that was was intended to be part of Chapter 10. Link's near death experience and the fairy ex machina came to me as I was writing the last chapter. Stress baking Zelda was made up on the spot and I am honestly so proud of myself 😄
> 
> Who will you be rooting for in the debate next chapter?


	12. The Student Council Debate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the student council debate! A sleep-deprived Zelda and Midna compete head-to-head to win the support of the student body, but an old grudge causes the event to devolve into disaster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting early so I don't have to worry about it on Christmas day. Wishing all my lovely readers happy holidays :)
> 
> Updated 26 December 2020. Item added to the content warning list.
> 
> Updated 21 February 2021. Content Warnings list moved to the first chapter.

"I can't do this, Link. I really can't. I'm going to make a fool of myself in front of the whole school!"

Zelda stood in the wings of the school stage. White-knuckled hands pressed a binder against her tight chest. Rapid breath. An endless spiral of anxieties exacerbated by insomnia. Not enough practice. Not enough preparation. Not enough effort put into making herself look presentable. She'd seen herself in the mirror that morning. It was _horrid!_ Puffy panda eyes. Ghostly pale skin. Even a bad hair day. Who would vote to have a corpse look-a-like for student council president?

Link gripped her shoulders. "Zel, you need to breath. C'mon." He led her through the exercise. In, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four. After five cycles, Zelda had calmed down just enough to stop trembling. "You'll do fine, okay? There's a reason why you have the Triforce of Wisdom."

"Like that'll help me!" Zelda shrieked. "And even if it could, that would make me a fraud. Oh gods, what if I _am_ a fraud? I'm nothing like what my election poster says. Maybe I should just quit-"

"Zelda!" He shook her firmly. "You're smart and driven. People like you. You'll do great."

She tried to heed his words. _Really_ tried, but her mind kept feeding her new anxieties. "I bet you want Midna to win," she mumbled.

He shook his head. "I'll always root for you before anyone else, okay?" No response. "Okay?"

"Okay," Zelda relented.

Link smiled. "Good."

"Mr Harkinian." Principal Rauru poked his head around curtain. "I appreciate the moral support, but it's high time you took your seat."

"Yes, sir." Link squeezed Zelda's shoulder one last time as he passed. "Good luck." Zelda smiled weakly as he slipped backstage and jogged towards the exit. Now it was just her and- Wait, where were Groose and Midna?

An unwelcome arm slumped around her shoulders. "Hey, sweetheart," said Groose, his breath nudging the hair around her ear. "Ready to see what a _real_ leader looks like?"

She shrugged him away. "I really don't have the patience for bullshit today."

He did a double-take. "Bullshit? Since when did you cuss?"

She was about to say _"I don't"_ when it dawned on her. The word had slipped out without her realising. Oh no, what other foul language could slip out while onstage? It would be terribly undignified! And just like that, she was swept away by another spiral.

Principal Rauru cleared his throat into the microphone and the chattering student body quelled. "Good morning, students. Welcome to the 2020 Student Council Debate. In just under three weeks, we will be voting for this year's president. To ensure that the voices of our voters are heard, our candidates will be having civil discussion about various topics posed by the student body."

Did Zelda even _know_ what her peers wanted her to address? Sure, she had gone around the school, striking up conversations with them and jotting down their grievances, but Midna had a suggestion box. People were always more honest under anonymity, right? _Right?_

Hold on. Midna was still missing. It wasn't like her to be late for anything. Did something happen to her that Link didn't share?

"Let us welcome our esteemed candidates to the stage. Firstly, Groose Bardoe." Groose strutted onstage as if he had earned his position through accolades rather than his father's generous donations to the school. He took the podium in the middle, Zelda's podium, rather than the one furthest like he was assigned. Mr Rauru gave him an odd look but moved on. He garbled something into the microphone. Her spiral of woe drowned him out. Rauru glanced at her. "Ms Harkinian?"

Her head snapped up. "Hmm?"

"Would you please come to the stage?"

"Oh. My apologies." Zelda shuffled into the open. Thousands of eyes followed her. She tripped. Her binder smacked against the floor. Snickers echoed throughout the crowd. Zelda flushed, snatched up her binder, and slapped it against the nearest podium. Midna's podium. _Oops._ It reached her upper chest, comically large for her tiny frame.

Glancing between Groose and the empty podium, Zelda started to feel better about the debate ahead. With her strongest rival missing, she only needed to outperform Groose. An easy feat, for certain.

"Unfortunately, it appears as though Midna Ozul won't be-"

The door at the back of the hall burst open. Midna's heels clacked down the aisle, her dishevelled hair trailing behind her. Zelda thought she was about to crash into the stage, but then she _flipped_ onto it. Did gymnasts ever pass up the opportunity to show off? Midna scrambled towards the final podium. Groose's podium. The debate might as well have started off with a game of musical chairs.

"Ms Ozul," Rauru said sternly. "That was a very colourful entrance, but-"

"Oops. I panicked." She ripped off her backpack, fished out her tablet, and placed it onto the podium. "Shall we begin?"

With a sigh, Rauru addressed the very perplexed, yet highly amused audience. "Here's the procedure for today. One-by-one, our candidates will share a one-minute speech about who they are and why they deserve your vote." He pressed a button on a small remote and a projector screen unfurled from above the stage. It lit up, displaying a timer. "Following that, representatives of the student body will take the mic," he gestured at a mic stand just to the side of the aisle, "and raise their concerns for debate. Each candidate will have forty seconds to pose their solution. After that, opponents are invited to share their rebuttal. Is everything clear?" The candidates nodded. "Good. I'll be moderating today's debate. Let's keep things civil, shall we?"

Of course Zelda could keep things civil. She always kept things civil. _She_ was the civil one. There was no way Zelda could be anything _but_ civil. Civil Zelda was a guarantee!

"And with that, I welcome our first candidate to speak," said Rauru. "Presenting Groose Bardoe."

The teenage boy puffed out his chest. "You should vote for me because I'm as slick as my do." A hand swept over his pompadour. It sprung upright. Zelda gripped fistfuls of her powder blue skirt, fighting back a deep sigh. Midna's head hit her podium with a groan. Groose continued to sing his praises with vague and outdated language like "radical" and "the cat's meow." Zelda tuned most of it out. The audience radiated a silent awkwardness punctuated by the odd cough. Groose didn't seem to notice. "So vote for Groose, or be a goose," he finished. Cawlin and Fledge honked, eliciting a brief chuckle from the crowd.

Rauru shot them a stern glance. "I request that the audience remains quiet and respectful during this event." Silence followed. His face furrowed as he gestured at Groose. "Aren't you going to clap for him?" The applause was slow, hesitant, but Groose's lackies whooped and clapped with fanatic gusto. Rauru looked up at the ceiling. "Good. I invite our next candidate to speak. Zelda Harkinian."

She opened her mouth, and then a realisation shook her. She had forgotten her speech. Every word. Her whole body seized up, aside from her eyes. They flitted towards the crowd. A thousand faces, all staring at her. She found Link's encouraging smile but was a little disappointed to find Ganondorf missing. Well, more than a little. He always knew how to praise her.

It took every ounce of courage Zelda had to lean towards the microphone. "I would be an excellent student council president because I am smart, charismatic, and strong-willed." She felt like none of those things, but that couldn't matter right now. Though her voice wavered and her posture stiffened, she forced herself to say whatever she could. "I can get along with people different from myself." That didn't feel true while Midna stood across from her. "I work well under pressure." That didn't feel true as she tottered close to a panic attack.

The timer had ten seconds left. She needed to wrap up her speech _now!_ But what could she say to leave a final impact? "Oh, and most importantly, I am…" She met her rival's bemused look. "Punctual!" Midna's face soured, and the snickers of the audience twisted Zelda's gut further. The applause was decent, at least. Someone even whistled for Zelda's audacious finisher. She wanted to take back what she said and toss it into the gap between dimensions.

Surely Midna would destroy her for that.

"A gentle reminder to be civil," the principal said, slight wear in his tone. "Last, but certainly not least, I present Midna Ozul."

With a narrowed glance at Zelda, Midna ripped her mic from its hold. She sauntered to the middle of the stage, flipped her hair over her shoulder, and planted a hand on her hip. From the corner of Zelda's eye, Groose ogled her. Worst of all, a part of Zelda sympathised.

Midna brought the mic to her smudged lips, as if they were impeccably painted like always, and paced around the stage. "Most people imagine the picture-perfect candidate to be a well-behaved people pleaser." Was that a jab at Zelda? Surely it was! "But if I'm being perfectly honest, that doesn't make for a great leader. It might help to be organised, punctual, or," she glanced over her shoulder at Groose, _"memorable."_ Zelda clenched her teeth. Did Midna just call her a bore? "But that's the bare minimum. A good leader has something more."

Midna halted her pace. "Grit."

The audience was silent, utterly captivated by her words. "I'm not afraid to question the system. I'm not afraid to be outspoken. I'm not afraid to look like the bad guy if it means doing the right thing." Those words cast Zelda back nine years.

"So, if you want a president unlike any you've had before, vote for me. Midna Ozul, the blade who cuts through the bullshit."

"Language!" Rauru barked.

"Bull crap," Midna corrected. "Slip of the tongue."

The applause thundered as Midna sashayed back to her podium. Zelda sought out Link. His clap was respectable, deliberately so, for his eyes marvelled at Zelda's rival. _Gods damn you, Link._ He was trying so hard to contain his enthusiasm for Zelda's sake, but she resented the fact that he had anything to contain at all.

To be fair, Midna's speech was as effective as it was inappropriate. Perhaps she won over the crowd at the cost of disqualification. Or at least a penalty.

"Remember, great leaders are _civil_ ," said Rauru. With each incident, Zelda swore he aged another year. "We will now move onto the debate portion of the event." The timer switched from 1 minute to 40 seconds. "Mr Bardoe will be the first to pose his argument, followed by Ms Harkinian and Ms Ozul." He gestured to a Zora sitting in the front row, right next to the aisle. "Ruto Roi. Please address our candidates."

A Zora sprang to her feet and hopped towards the mic. "Hi. Ruto here. Captain of the swimming team," she chirped. "Some Gorons recently said that they wanted to participate in our events but because they sink and their bodies create drag, none of our activities suit them. How can we make them feel included?"

"Mr Bardoe. You may present your argument…" Rauru started the timer, "now."

Groose gaped at Ruto. "What do Gorons wanna go swimming for?"

"They like the social atmosphere," Ruto said, "and enjoy splashing around like the rest of us."

He shook his head. "Sounds like you're gonna have to break their hearts, Ruta."

"Ruto."

"Right. If they throw themselves in the pool and sink, they'll drown."

"Actually, Gorons can hold their breath for a long time, and they can talk underwater, and they can use the ladders to get in and out-"

"Yeah, but they can't _swim!_ Tell 'em to go back to their hot springs or something." The audience booed. Ruto's face scrunched into a frown.

The timer buzzed. Rauru glowered at Groose, then he turned to Zelda. "Ms Harkinian, your turn."

"Oh, um…" She had already lost five seconds. "First of all, I think your commitment to inclusivity is commandable- I mean commendable!" Another blank. "This is a tough problem to solve. I understand your struggle." 20 seconds left. _For Din's sake, pose a solution!_ "Maybe figuring out how the Gorons should assimilate to regular pool activities is the wrong approach. We should devise new activities built around the strengths of Gorons and Zoras. Perhaps start by modifying water hockey?" The timer buzzed on her final word.

Murmurs of intrigue rippled through the hall. Ruto tapped her chin. "That could work." For the first time that day, Zelda was quite pleased with herself. Maybe she _could_ win enough voters today.

"Ms Ozul." Rauru reset the timer. "Your turn."

"Gorons enjoy tests of strength. They'll want to celebrate their physical capabilities in any setting," Midna said. "Why not let them do it underwater?"

Ruto tilted her head. "What do you suggest?"

"If a Goron can lift 500 kilograms normally, how much can they lift with buoyancy on their side?"

A handful of Gorons murmured thoughtfully. Their excitement piqued Ruto's interest. "I guess it's worth looking into."

"I _know_ it is."

The timer buzzed. "Ms Harkinian, do you have anything to say to Mr Bardoe's argument?"

What was his point, again? Oh right. Let the problem _fester._ "I think his words speak for himself." He puffed out his chest. _That wasn't a compliment, you idiot._

"Ozul?"

"Same here."

"Then I suppose we will move onto Ms Harkinian. Mr Bardoe, your response?"

"Yeah. How many schools even play water polo?"

"Hockey," Zelda corrected.

Groose snorted. "You can't play hockey underwater. Everyone knows that." Some of the audience burst into laughter, probably directed at Groose, but his smug grin made her believe that it could possibly be for her. For Din's sake! Why was her mind entertaining these stupid notions?

"If we weren't onstage right now, I'd encourage you to look it up on your plate- Slate! I meant slate." Now the laughter _was_ for her. At least Groose seemed frightened by the prospect of a ten-second search destroying his argument.

Rauru lowered his hand, settling the crowd. "Ms Ozul."

"Mr Bardoe _almost_ made a point," Midna said. "No other schools in the area play water hockey, nor would they play any game we make up competitively. Your idea might work for recreation, but it would exclude Gorons from representing our school."

"As opposed to underwater weightlifting?"

"There are already rules for Goron-style weightlifting. It would just be underwater," Midna said. "And it would be easier to get other schools on board."

Zelda's nostrils flared. _It's not a personal attack,_ she reminded herself. _This is just part of the debate._ Usually she was so good at separating herself from this kind of thing, but this was Midna, a self-proclaimed blade who cut through the bull crap.

Bull crap like Zelda. _Dammit! I'm doing it again._

"Mr Bardoe, do you have anything to discuss regarding Ms Ozul's suggestion?"

"Uh huh," he drawled. "What if a human wants to do underwater weightlifting?" Groose had all but stolen Zelda's next weapon against Midna.

"I suppose we'd cover that when a human expresses interest in it," Midna said.

Groose raised a hand. "I'm interested."

"When _multiple_ humans express interest."

Two hands shot up from the crowd. Cawlin and Fledge. Midna huffed. The corners of Zelda's mouth twitched.

"Ms Harkinian."

"I think Mr Bardoe was right to be concerned about inclusion, as that is the point of the discussion."

Midna crossed her arms. "And I think that humans should understand that not everything _can_ include them."

"What I mean is that Ruta-"

"Ruto!" the Zora snapped.

"My apologies. _Ruto_ mentioned that Gorons enjoy the social aspect of the swimming club, so activities should help Gorons socialise with _everyone_. Surely that's the priority over competition?"

"Gorons like competition," Midna said.

"No more than anyone else. Take us for example. Competing before a crowd. Neither of us are Gorons."

"I suppose we should invite the Gorons in question to raise their concerns with us directly," Midna gritted.

A tension hung between their locked stares. Zelda found this dynamic refreshing. Midna the defendant. Her the prosecutor. At least she knew how to treat the position with grace and tact.

"Saria March. Please address the candidates."

"Thank-you, sir." The green-haired girl skipped towards the microphone. "Representative of the Central High Eco Rights Initiative, or CHERI for short." Her smile brightened towards Zelda. "How can we make our campus greener?"

"Bardoe," Rauru called.

"Get some paint. Duh." Groose said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Why green though? Why not red? It's much cooler."

Pain split through Zelda's forehead. She had slammed it against the podium. The school roared with laughter. Midna clutched her sides as she cackled. Rauru stared at the ceiling like he was begging for Farosh's thunder to strike him down.

"Settle down students," he said. "Let him finish."

Groose's head sank into his popped collar. "But I'm done…" Midna burst into another round of laughter, sprawled over her podium.

"Ozul, contain yourself!" Rauru snapped.

"H-how did he," she wheezed, "even become a c-candidate? He doesn't even know what _green_ means."

" _Ozul!"_

"Okay, okay." Midna pursed her lips, but the giggles rattled inside her until she cracked. "I tried! I really tried!"

"Do I have to dismiss you?"

She thrust out her hand. "No, no. I think I have it out of my system now." A few soft chuckles coloured her voice. "Mostly."

Link was utterly enraptured by her laughter, failing to bite back his own. _Two idiots who can't hold back a simple giggle_ , Zelda thought bitterly. _They're perfect for each other._

Rauru let out a long sigh. "Ms Harkinian. Your turn."

Her spine shot straight. "Right! Um…" She timidly addressed Saria. "What were we discussing again?"

"How to make the campus more eco-friendly," the girl chirped.

"Ah, yes. Of course. Well, as founder of the Central High Eco Rights Initiative, I am most certainly the best equipped for this question." Her mind offered nothing. "Sustainability is very important to me, and it has been for years." _Make a suggestion! Any suggestion! No, not that suggestion!_ "There is no Planet B." She laughed nervously. "We need to do something that really tells everyone how important our environment is. Something like-" The timer buzzed. Nothing. She had offered _nothing_ aside from mediocre greenwashing!

"Ozul."

"I'd start by eliminating disposable cutlery from the cafeteria-"

"What about straws?" Zelda cut in. "Disabled students need those."

"Harkinian!" Rauru snapped.

Zelda shrank into her shoulders. "My apologies, sir."

Rauru reset the timer. "Ms Ozul, your do-over starts now."

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I'd _start_ by eliminating disposable cutlery as a default option. We'd still have some on hand for people with allergies and the like." Midna continued with compelling arguments that Zelda envied. If she wasn't so sleep-deprived, she'd be leagues ahead of Midna on this topic.

Unfortunately, Zelda's performance did not increase over the course of the debate. If anything, it weakened. So much focus was put into staying awake. Alert. All she wanted was to fall asleep and wake-up as herself again. She was bobbing in tumultuous waters with lead weights tied to her feet as she clawed to keep her head just above the surface. Midna was the waves that kept forcing her under, but Zelda refused to give up. She refused to drown.

"Paya Rokee."

The timid Sheikah girl approached the microphone. "Um… hello. Paya of the… uh… S-Sheikah Society. We were… um… wondering if the clubs could have an increase in… an increased b-budget this year?" She frantically waved her hands. "N-not that we aren't grateful for what we receive!" Paya buried her flushed face in her palms.

"Thank-you for being brave enough to speak, Miss Rokee," Rauru soothed. "Mr Bardoe?"

Groose slowly leaned towards the microphone. "Clubs get money?"

"Y-yes," Paya squeaked. "We f-fundraise most of it, b-but we do get a small… a small budget from the school."

"Why can't you just do more fundraisers?"

"W-well…" Paya fidgeted. "It's n-nice to have some events without the p-pressure."

Groose thought for a moment. He opened his mouth to inevitably spew more stupidity when the timer buzzed.

"Ms Harkinian."

"How much money is afforded to club activities is determined by the school's accountant, so there isn't much to be done about that without appealing to them directly." _Useless. That answer is useless!_ "Perhaps we could arrange for the student council treasurer to give budgeting workshops, or we could help clubs collaborate to arrange larger fundraising events? Then they won't have to be as frequent." Finally, a sound idea!

"Those are v-very good suggest-suggestions," Paya stuttered.

"Ms Ozul."

"I quite like the idea of appealing to the accountant," Midna said. "In fact, I quite like the idea of the school publishing its budget in the fullest detail." Gasps sounded from the staff. "We could locate some money sinks and reduce them to fund club activities. I know for a fact that the teachers' lounge uses coffee beans instead of grounds. And have you noticed that the school upgrades the desks every five years when they could last longer? Clearly the budget cares more about aesthetic than enrichment."

Oohs rippled throughout the crowd. Rauru visibly aged another ten years. "An _interesting_ take, Ozul."

"Uh… yes! Very interesting!" Paya squeaked. "But… uh… I'm not sure we can help much with that…"

"You won't," Midna said bluntly. "The responsibility would fall onto the council. To me."

Paya cowered under her gaze. "Oh. Of- Of course. I'm so sorry for saying anything."

Midna waved her off. "Don't be."

 _Why is Midna being so rude to Paya?_ Zelda's insides writhed. _Link said she had changed._

Zelda and Midna glazed over Groose's pointless argument, and Midna criticised Zelda for not actually _solving_ the issue of affording bigger budgets. Zelda was so ready to attack her rival's argument.

"I'm concerned that you're trying to turn a simple request into something much bigger," Zelda said. "You're asking to have a say in budgeting affairs when you are not an accountant. Nothing qualifies you to criticise the school budget." She scoffed. "We have limits, you know."

Midna was taken aback by her tone. "My whole campaign is based around pushing the limits of the position. I don't know what you were expecting."

"Girls, please," Rauru urged.

"Maybe you could've left the snark at home? Put on a smile for the audience? Focus on what you _can_ do rather than this rebel fantasy you have?"

" _Excuse me?!"_ Midna's hair bristled with a dim glow. "At least I'm not jumping down _your_ throat for no reason."

"At least I wasn't fraternising with _your_ brother in the woods last night!"

The crowd _exploded_. Everyone locked onto Midna. Dishevelled hair. Wide eyes ringed with purple. Smudged lips hanging open. In that frightening moment when the hall was engulfed by gasps and frantic gossip, Midna and Zelda both knew that the whole school had come to the same conclusion.

The _wrong_ conclusion.

Regret burned Zelda's tongue as she stared at the woman before her. Midna looked so… so _defeated_. Her hair hung limply. Tears danced in the corners of her eyes. "Midna, I-" She bolted from the stage. Zelda chased her into the wings, down the ramp, and out the flapping doors. Heels clacked down the hallway. Zelda sprinted faster. "Midna, wait!"

She whipped around. Violently. Tendrils of fire writhed around a face streaked with tears. "I can't believe you!" Midna spat. "I've spent _years_ trying to make amends, and then you had to say _that."_

"I am so-"

A dry laugh cut her off. "After nine years, you finally got the perfect revenge." She smacked past Zelda's shoulder. "Hope it was worth it." Midna disappeared into the shadows. Her muffled sobs faded down the hall.

The debate replayed in Zelda's mind, but now it was different. Reversed. No longer was Midna cast as the villain. She was the victim, undeniably so, and Zelda had torn her to shreds in front of the entire school.

Because of a petty grudge. Because she still saw Midna as the horrid child she was nine years ago.

Zelda collapsed against the nearest wall. Dizzy and heaving and sobbing and shaking. The spiral wound faster, tighter, louder. _Horrible,_ it called her. _Rotten. Cruel._

_Irredeemable._

Arms circled her, easing her into a familiar shoulder. "Breathe."

Her erratic intake steadied just enough to match the rise and fall of Link's chest. Every time a sob tossed her off her rhythm, his breath guided her back. Her lungs calmed just enough to ask her most burning question. "Are you mad at me?"

"That doesn't matter right now."

He was. He _so_ was. She had ruined his reputation just as she had Midna's. And if the brewing rumours reached Midna's father? Another wave of anxiety crashed over her. She stuttered through her tears. "I-I'm so s-sorry, Link." She gulped. "I d-didn't want-" She couldn't finish.

"Save it," he said. "Just breathe."

And breathe she did, until she was able to ask her final question. "Am I a bully?"

"You're tired," Link parted from her. "C'mon. Let's get you to the nurse's office."

A wave of relief washed over her. Finally, a chance to sleep. To wake up as herself.

To fix what she had done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is one of my favourites, but it's also one I was nervous to put out. I was afraid of how readers might react to Zelda doing something so unlikeable, or they might see this whole chapter as pointless drama. Anxiety can really mess with your perception of things and bring out some toxic traits without you realising.


	13. Sunset Dreaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ganondorf arrives late to school and is very confused to hear that Link allegedly banged Midna in the woods to propel Zelda’s campaign. When Link sets the record straight, Ganondorf decides to cheer Zelda up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello and welcome to 2021!
> 
> The title of this chapter comes from a song which was originally by the Yolngu and balanda band Yothu Yindi, but I had the cover by the Butchulla rapper Birdz in mind. Since we're delving a bit into how Ganondorf's heritage informs his outlook on life, I thought it would be fitting to reference an indigenous artist.
> 
> Updated 1 January 2020. Minor typo fixed.

Hordes of Gerudo clapped and cheered for the leader that had brought them glory and liberation. Ganondorf received it, basked in it, but as they began to tire, he ordered them to continue. "More," he demanded. "More. More." They tried, really tried, but their enthusiasm faded into weariness. Still, he shouted for more.

"We have no more," they chanted.

Ganondorf thrust out his hand. "More!" A slash ripped through the knee of every Gerudo, forcing them to kneel. He marched past them. To Hyrule Castle, to crowds of Hylians, Sheikah, Zora, Rito, Gorons, and Twili all cowering under his gaze. He raised a hand caked in blood.

" _More."_

His eyes shot open, and his blood continued to pound like an army of war drums. Just when he had finally drifted into a safe rest that night, another nightmare had assaulted him. On the bright side, he no longer felt haggard, and strips of sunlight threaded through his blinds. Might as well start the day.

He reached for his slate and turned on the screen. 9:30am. _Shit!_

* * *

Ganondorf had expected some chatter about the debate when he arrived late to school that day. He did _not_ expect to hear about some mastermind scheme Zelda had hatched. One which involved Link seducing Midna in the woods. Furthermore, students had the audacity to ask _him_ what he knew about it. "Not a damn thing," he repeated.

He fought through the halls, picking up hushed chatter as he went.

" _Zelda's probably making it up for attention."_

" _But this is_ Zelda _we're talking about! She's not a gossip. She'd only say it if it were true."_

" _Maybe Midna was the one seducing Link to throw Zelda off_ her _game."_

" _Well that certainly backfired."_

" _All three of them deny what happened last night. What are they trying to hide?"_

" _Does it matter? They all look like petty idiots now."_

Ganondorf finally entered the cafeteria, where Groose was perched on a table, surrounded by a sizable crowd of students listening to the inanest speech Ganondorf had ever heard. "Their hair? Whack! Their posters? Whack! Their campaigns? Whack! Their arguments? Whack! The way that they talk? Whack! The way they scream at each other in front of the whole school? Whack. Me? I'm tight as _fuck!_ " The crowd applauded him. Ganondorf's confusion hit the roof.

Link was huddled in a corner with a lone chair as he scarfed down his lunch. Ganondorf stormed over. "Oi, Link!" He looked over his shoulder, cheeks stuffed with the last few bites of his sandwich. "What the fuck happened?" Ganondorf demanded in a hushed tone. "Everyone says you banged Midna in the woods last night and Zelda told the whole school. Have I fallen into some alternate dimension where you've all lost your minds?"

Link almost choked. "Just pull up a chair."

Ganondorf ripped an empty seat from a table of gossiping students, ignoring their cries of "We were saving that!" He slammed it in front of Link (who had scooted around) and dropped himself into it with crossed arms.

"Answers. Now."

Link drew a long breath for the story ahead. "It started when Midna arrived late yesterday." He explained it all. The detention. The text. The Yiga. When he arrived at Gohma, Ganondorf cracked up. "What's so funny?"

"Just that you and Midna getting your asses beat by a giant spider at 3am is far more believable than the two of you having sex."

Link cleared his throat. "Cheers." He continued. The almost-death. The fairy. Zelda's stress-baking.

"But you lived, didn't you?" said Ganondorf.

"That's what I said, but she was stressed to the Dark World and back. Hadn't slept a wink. When the debate came, I guess she finally cracked. Yelled that Midna and I were in the woods last night, and everyone got the wrong idea." Link sighed. "Worse of all, we can't prove them wrong."

Ganondorf slumped back in his chair. "Damn." He took a moment to let it sink in. "After all that, I thought you'd be hiding in your secret nap spot."

"Yeah, well…" Link rubbed his neck. "Midna knows about it. She needs it more right now."

"Haha! A true gentleman." Ganondorf beamed. Link bounced his left leg, eyes on the floor. "Hey. How are you feeling about all this?"

Link scoffed. "Too much, mate," he said. "I get that Zelda wasn't in her right mind, and I get why she's testy around Midna, but it fucking hurts."

"Do you think you can forgive her?"

"Already did. Still sucks though." He dragged his hands down his face. "Gods, everyone thinks I'm a womanizer now. Sakon said 'Nice!' and tried to high five me. _Sakon!_ "

"The bald kid who keeps stealing everyone's erasers?"

"Yep. Zelda trashed my reputation, but at least I have _Sakon._ "

"You also have me," Ganondorf said. "Central High's most infamous womanizer and simp against the world."

Link chuckled. "A match made in the Sacred Realm."

They continued joking about, gradually lifting Link's spirits, until the bell rang. Next class was PE and they had both forgotten to change into their gym clothes. They dashed to the changing rooms, threw the uniform on, and dashed out before the second bell. Because they were the last to meet the class on the oval, Darunia said one of them needed to be benched for the first soccer game, next to Groose who had rolled his ankle after jumping off a table.

Feeling he owed Ganondorf for cheering him up before, Link volunteered. Unfortunately, Groose's mouth chose to be especially insufferable that day.

"So, you and Minda, huh?"

"No."

"Aww, c'mon. Banging the police captain's daughter? You should be proud. A real stick-it-to-the-man move."

A sickly mix of rage and shame bubbled within Link. He had grown up a lone boy in a female household, with a best friend of a similar background. The very concept of using a woman to get back at some man he didn't like made his blood curdle. The words burned his tongue, begging to be set free, but Link bit them back. Groose had proven over and over that he wouldn't listen. It would only cause things to escalate. Mouth shut. Eyes forward. Ignore everything. Groose would get bored eventually.

"Honestly, Minda is definitely up there for me. A real babe," Groose droned. "But she could never top Zelda." He snickered. "Someday I'd like to top Zelda in the woods, just like-"

A fist smashed into Groose's jaw. His side smacked against the bench with a wail. Link stood over him with fuming breath.

"Harkinian!" Darunia barked. "Principal's office. _Now._ "

Without a word, Link scooped up his bag, swung it over his shoulder, and jogged past the bleachers. By the Goddesses, he was mad. So mad that he didn't regret the punch one bit. He hoped it left a nasty bruise. He hoped that every time Groose saw his reflection, he'd remember how much of a sexist prick he was. He hoped that punch would shut that goose up for good.

Link almost rounded the corner of a hallway when a hushed voice stopped him. "Apologies, Mr Vaati. Results may take longer than expected." The name was familiar, as though Link had seen or heard it many times before, yet he couldn't quite place it. "Please, sir. I can be the one to win her over." A sour pause. "Very well. I'll hang back and report what I can."

Footsteps approached the corner. Link bowed his head and tried to power walk around it, to disguise the fact that he had been listening in. Two bodies bumped into each other.

"Sorry," Link mumbled.

Yellow eyes blinked at him. "Harkinian."

"Ozul."

Zant had the same cool grey skin, nose, and almond-shaped eyes as his sister, though that was where the similarities ended. He was half-a-head shorter, and his choppy fringe was the colour of a dying ember rather than a roaring flame. His long face tapered off into a narrow chin. He wore an oversized, navy dress shirt tucked into wide-legged slacks with a hall pass poking from the pocket. The business-wear was a stark contrast against the typical casual attire of the student body.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he drawled, voice creaking the slightest bit.

"Who were you talking to?" It was an impulsive question.

The tips of Zant's lips curled upwards as he pushed his black frames up his nose. "That was the CEO from my _very_ prestigious internship with Vaati Incorporated," he said. "I'm sure Midna mentioned it."

"She didn't. Sorry."

Zant frowned. "Well, I suppose you were too _distracted_ to have a proper conversation."

Heat rushed to Link's face. "About that. The rumours, they aren't-"

"Oh, I know." Zant cracked a repulsive grin. "Your face amuses me." With a cold chuckle, he strode past Link. "Good luck wooing her now," he called over his shoulder.

That last line hit Link like a bucket of cold chu jelly. Even Zant picked up on his crush? It was never his goal to pursue Midna, even though part of him really wanted to. At this point, pursuit would not only be foolish, but an insult. Even friendship was out of the question. They'd have to work on the project and then keep their distance until this awful rumour died.

It hurt, having to give her up after just getting to know her, but it was for the best.

Knuckles rapped against the wooden door. The panicked jingle of glass answered. A draw slammed. Rauru called Link inside his dimly lit office, where the blinds behind his desk were shut. He gestured at the seat across from him and Link took it. A bitter smell hung in the air. Chateau Romani.

Link pointed at his upper lip. "You've got something."

Rauru's eyes bulged. He hastility wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "We'll keep this between us, shall we?" Link nodded. "I don't normally day drink but, well, you saw what happened this morning." He sighed. "I really should've had a better handle on things. I owe you an apology."

"Thank-you, sir," Link said, a little weirded out by this unprompted heart-to-heart.

"Anyway, I'm assuming you're here because you got into a spot of trouble yourself. What happened?"

Link rubbed his neck. "I kinda punched Groose in the face."

Rauru sighed as he removed his red scarf. "And what possessed you to do that?"

"He was making objectifying statements about Midna and my sister."

"I see." Rauru stood and approached the blinds. "Three students acting very out of character on the same day." He twirled the stick, and the blinds shifted open. "There must be something I can do to help. A contingency I could provide." The tattoo of Hylia's crest sat at the nape of his neck.

Link thought for a moment and straightened up. "Yes," he enthused. "We've been, uh, overwhelmed by personal stuff. Real stressful."

"Seems like it." Rauru eased back into his chair. "How about this? I'll instruct your teachers to be lax with your homework for the rest of the term, and grant extensions on assignments whenever any of you ask. Does that sound fair?"

Already, the emotional weight from Link's day felt lighter. "That's very kind, sir," he said. "Can you do it for Ganondorf too?"

Rauru smiled. "But of course. Now, about your punishment."

* * *

The bell rang, ending Zelda's final period. She cleared her desk of the mountain of history books she had been referencing for an assignment due the following week. One she was behind on. As soon as she got home, she was going to crack those books back open, provided she didn't have _another_ breakdown.

When she stepped through the school's sunlight entrance, a burly figure sailed into view. "Hey, Zelda. Heard you had a rough morning," Ganondorf said.

She scowled. Though she felt leagues better after a three-hour nap in the sick bay, she still had dredges of anxiety flowing through her. Between the crushing guilt, mounting stress, and overall sense of failure, she was _not_ in the mood for Ganondorf's shenanigans, nor was she ready to face the fact that he probably thought less of her now. Like everyone else.

"Hey, don't give me that look. I came to cheer you up," he chirped. "We can check out the food trucks near the park. My treat."

"I can't, Ganondorf. I have a lot of study to catch up on." The books weighed her down like her conscience.

He cracked a smile. "Check your email."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

With a huff, she drew out her slate and opened the mail app. The first message was from Principal Rauru. It was addressed to Link, but had her, Ganondorf, and Midna cc'd in. _In response to this morning…_ the subject line read. If not for Ganondorf's knowing smile, she would've dreaded opening it. A quick perusal later, and she felt like she had witnessed a miracle. "No way," she breathed.

"Link got us extensions!"

"I just read that, Captain Obvious," she said, but she was smiling. Without the weight of looming deadlines, Ganondorf's offer sounded quite enticing now. Then she frowned. "Where's Link? No, wait!" She waved a hand. "Let me guess. Detention?"

He snapped finger guns at her. "Bingo."

"Again? Urgh. What has he gotten into this time?"

"I'll tell you on the way." Ganondorf offered his hand. Zelda glared at it, and her own twitched at her side. A chortle burst from his nose. "I was gonna carry your bag. It's slicing your arms off."

She flushed. "Oh." Zelda shrugged off the straps and heaved it over. "A gentlemanly move. Thank-you."

"I'm more than a scoundrel, Zelda." When he grabbed the bag, his hand plummeted. "Din almighty! How many books do you have in here?"

"Enough."

Ganondorf held the bag to his chest and faced the nearest wall, as if reading one of Groose's posters that had been "accidentally" splashed with various dried liquids. When he turned around, the bag was gone. "Ganondorf!" Zelda hissed. "You can't use magic in public."

"Can and did," he said with a grin.

She smiled the tiniest bit. "Scoundrel."

They chose to skip the bus and walk instead, since they had no heavy bags weighing them down. Zelda's shoulders still ached, but she felt free as a fresh morning breeze. Along the way, Ganondorf dramatized the whack Link gave Groose. Zelda was almost in disbelief. Whenever the odd fight broke out at school, Link was the first on his feet to break it up. Never the instigator.

"Well, he must have had a good reason," she said. "Not that I condone it."

"Trust me. He did."

The green field was rimmed by trees on the two furthest sides and Zelda's street on the closest. A large deku tree with curling branches overlooked slides, swings, climbing nets, and more. Chattering parents were gathered around picnic benches. Children darted through the playground and slinked through the tree. The smell of spiced meat wafted through the air. Three food trucks were parked on the road closest to the playground. One was your classic ice cream truck, one was hot chips, but the third was for skewers.

Zelda followed Ganondorf to the third truck. After a quick peruse of the menu, the pair ordered. The jovial Goron seared them on the grill in a jiffy. "One mild veggie skewer for the lady," he said as he handed it over, "and three extra spicy meat for the lad."

The moment Zelda caught a whiff of Ganondorf's skewers, she coughed. "Goddesses, it burns my throat from here!"

"If you think this is bad, you're not ready for Gerudo grub."

They strolled around the perimeter of the park as Zelda savoured her skewer with dainty nibbles while Ganondorf scarfed down each of his in three bites. By the time they passed the deku tree, its shadow reached halfway across the field.

"Remember when the council wanted to chop it down?" Ganondorf asked.

"Of course."

For decades, the tree was a pillar of the park. Zelda would read under it while Link and Ganondorf wove through the branches above. The tree was a place of comfort, community, and nostalgia. When Zelda was ten-years-old, she formed the Deku Tree Defence Club so that the park regulars could appeal to the council. It was the first and only time Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf teamed up for anything prior to their grand destiny. Zelda did all the research and case-building, Link gathered signatures for the petition, and Ganondorf recruited others to join the cause. They even had a few cute little protests where they'd march around the tree with signs as they chanted, "Defend the deku tree!"

On the tree's execution day, Link, Ganondorf, and half-a-dozen brave Gerudo children sat around the trunk, linked arm-in-arm. For all of them, it was their first experience with civil disobedience. Their eyes bulged at the revving chainsaws. Those big lumberjacks looked ready to cut through them! Zelda was too frightened to join in, but she was nearby to offer food and water, and she was the one who spoke with the council representative.

Eventually, the children's stubbornness won out. "It's just a tree," the representative grumbled. He ordered the logging team to withdraw. Elated, the children climbed and played on their beloved tree while Zelda contently read beneath it, and they continued to do it every week after that.

After a few years, it was time for Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf to make way for the new generation, such was the cycle of the playground. Zelda's only regret was that she never had the courage to climb the tree herself.

Present-day Ganondorf caught a glimpse of her sadness. "Hey, we should climb it."

"In this skirt?" She swished the powder blue linen that reached her mid-calf.

"Right. Hylian vai don't learn how to gird up their loins, do they?"

"And Gerudo do?"

Ganondorf nodded. "It's a right of passage. You never know when your evening could be crashed by baddies," he joked.

Zelda giggled. "Fascinating. Do teach me."

Without a skirt or long tunic of his own, instructing Zelda with naught but his empty hands was a confusing process for both of them. Ganondorf gave in and pulled up an illustrated guide on his slate. From there, Zelda picked it up instantly. Though her job was rather sloppy, it was secure enough to climb.

More hues painted the clouds. The last few children dropped from the tree at their parent's commands. Zelda stared upwards, nerves building. It was so _high._ Those branches were a bit too far apart, and that one didn't seem all that stable, and there was _no way_ she could do this without falling.

But she wanted to try, one branch at a time.

Ganondorf gave her a boost to the first hold. Zelda clung to the side of the trunk, heart a ticking bomb. Her foot felt around until it landed. An arm peeled away from the trunk, but the branch was just out of reach. She inched her torso against the bark until she grabbed her hold and hoisted herself up. A victorious giggle spun into a scream as the branch below her shook; Ganondorf had leapt up to grab it. With a huff, Zelda continued to the next branch and the next. She squeaked each time the tree creaked under her weight or a slight breeze rustled the leaves. Through Ganondorf's encouragement and her own perseverance, she continued higher. He ascended with the ease of a ladder, overtaking Zelda within a minute.

Eventually, he reached the branch he and Link used to sit on and was delighted to find that it was sturdy enough for his matured body. He glanced down at Zelda and patted the spot beside him. She hoisted herself up the last stretch and awkwardly shimmied her legs over the branch, grasping Ganondorf's shoulder as she did so. At her request, he had an arm around her waist to keep her steady, which she wasn't _supposed_ to savour, but she did none-the-less. Once she had settled into place, they withdrew their arms from each other.

The tree provided a perfect window onto the neighbourhood awash in twilight. The odd car hummed along the roads, the playground swings gently swayed, chirping birds hopped about the picnic tables, plucking the morsels left behind. That morning, if someone had told Zelda that she would find herself at peace in a tree with Ganondorf, she might've accidentally ruined their reputation as well.

The way the light dappled against his bronze skin and crimson hair, with the most serene expression on his face, told her that this was a voe who belonged in the sun. Being with him, in his element, without some race to win or medallion to collect, felt like finally understanding a part of him she never did before.

He side-eyed her with a smirk. Zelda flushed and stared ahead. _Say something,_ she thought as she swayed her crossed ankles. "So, what did you and Link usually do up here?"

Ganondorf shrugged. "Sometimes we'd people watch. Sometimes we'd talk. The kinda stuff we wouldn't tell others." Zelda bowed her head. "Something wrong?"

"I want to apologise for being so crass with you," she said.

He waved her off. "Nah, I don't mind. Kinda like it actually."

"Still," she insisted. "I always envied you for being Link's main confidant, because he's always been mine."

Ganondorf nodded as he chewed his tongue. "You know what? You could tell me the stuff you can't tell Link."

"Like what? I tell him everything."

"Aww, c'mon. There's gotta be something."

She was about to shake her head when her face lit up. "Actually, there is, but you have to _promise_ you won't tell."

He showed his hand. "I swear on the Triforce that I won't tell him."

Zelda blushed and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "It's about my first kiss." His lips pulled back into an expression of pure glee. She chuckled as she shook her head. "He knows all about it, you know, aside from one thing."

"By all means, tell me."

"Well, it was when I was thirteen. Link and I were staying in Ordon for the Winter Festival. I had the biggest crush on my childhood friend, Malon, but I was so shy about it. That's why I wrote her a letter. When I asked her to meet me at the spring, I shoved the letter in her hands and ran off."

He snorted. "That's adorable! What did it say?"

Zelda groaned. "Farore, you do _not_ want to know." She ignored his pleading expression. "Anyway, whenever I sat down to read, I chose to do it near the mistletoe. I thought I was being subtle, but I'm pretty sure everyone picked up on it. They'd ask me who I was waiting for, and I'd say no one."

She smiled fondly. "Then Malon came along. She was quite nervous, which wasn't like her. I asked if she wanted to talk about the letter. She said, 'Not exactly' and took my hand. We kissed. Under the mistletoe. Short and sweet, but I was smitten, and then _she_ ran off!"

Ganondorf slapped his thigh. "Nayru's love. You two deserved each other!"

"Yes, well, you'd think that. I told Link about it, and he said she probably liked me too but was just as nervous as I was. That night, I could barely sleep. I was so giddy and couldn't wait to tell all my friends about my beautiful farm girlfriend who could protect me with a pitchfork. Tomorrow, I would take her to the spring, serenade her with my terrible poetry, and kiss her again under the snowfall." She sighed. "But come the next day, Malon confessed that she didn't feel the same. She was curious, but apparently kissing me helped her realise that she was indeed straight.

"I was crushed. Shut myself in the guest room and refused to participate in the Festival Eve ceremonies. Link was really sweet. He brought me tissues and hot chocolate and listened to my gay woe. Impa told me about her first crush on a straight woman, so it was nice to have someone to relate to. I was heartbroken, but well-loved.

"Malon felt guilty about the whole thing, but we made up on the day of the festival." Zelda grimaced. "The day after that, she had the audacity to say that she'd had a crush on Link for the longest time and asked _me_ to play wing-woman!"

"She did _not_."

"Oh, she did. We had another row, patched things up the next day, and everything was fine after that."

Ganondorf furrowed his brow. "Wait, what does Link not know?"

Zelda smiled deviously. "He doesn't know about Malon's crush, and he never will, because then he'll have a comeback whenever I play the 'I kissed a girl before you did' card." Ganondorf roared with laughter, sending birds flying from the tree. Zelda joined in with just as much heart.

"What about you?" Zelda asked, having settled. "What's something you've never told Link?"

The nightmares passed through his mind. "Dunno. Maybe… something to do with my mother?" Actually, Link knew all about Ganondorf's mother, but he had to mention _something._

Zelda shifted. "I understand how you feel."

"Yeah, I don't think you do," he said matter-of-factly. "Link and I bonded a lot over having no parents, but there are some things you'll never understand. Different culture, different experience, you know?"

"Well then, I'm ready to listen if you're ready to tell."

He smiled weakly. "Mum was a prostitute. Never knew who my dad was. Just a woman trying to make ends meet. When I was one, she got busted. Sentenced to seven years even though it was only her second felony. A year later, she died under real sketchy circumstances. Urbosa reckons she had an STI but the warden refused her medication."

"That's _horrible_."

Ganondorf shrugged. "Not that unusual among the Gerudo. It's why we raise kids as a community. Even though I never knew mine, I grew up with dozens of parents, even a father figure."

"Spirit voe?" Zelda inquired.

He nodded. "His was the first death I grieved. Gerudo fathers are hard to come by."

They continued to chat for a bit, learning about each other's views on the world, until the sun was half-submerged on the horizon.

"We should get going," said Ganondorf. "Nice chat."

"Actually, there was something I wanted to ask." He shifted around. "I think it's quite apparent that I've been struggling to unlock my powers. I can't even get a pencil to float." Zelda toyed with the folds of her skirt. "You said that the Gerudo never stopped believing in magic, and you were able to unlock your thunder abilities so quickly. I was wondering if you could help me figure this out."

He hummed thoughtfully. "Look at the sunset."

She did as he said, watching the wash of coloured clouds. "Why?"

"Don't ask why," he said. "For a long time, we didn't know what the sun was or why it set every day. Only that it did. Now look at your hands." She did, a little puzzled and sceptical, but she remained silent. "What could they do?"

"Move? Touch?" Zelda suggested.

"What else?"

"Click? Clap? Pick stuff up?"

"What if they can do more than you think?"

Frustration prickled at Zelda. "They can't levitate anything. It's physically impossible!"

"That's your problem right there. You use science as an excuse to not believe in yourself," he said, "but the sun rose and set before we could study it. Grass was green before we knew why. Now magic exists, and we have no idea how it works. It just does. Look at your hand again."

Zelda huffed but did as she was told. The three triangles glowed faintly on the back, undeniable evidence that magic was inside her, but why wouldn't it manifest to her will? "I don't get it. I know magic exists, and I know I should be able to harness it. What am I missing?"

"Faith," Ganondorf said. "When that target fell, I had to have faith that it wouldn't hit you, and then it didn't."

"But it almost _did._ "

"But it didn't." That annoyingly smug grin was back. He sounded just like Link, though oddly more reasonable in his weird Ganondorf way.

"Okay, it didn't. I'm fine because you had 'faith' or whatever, but what should I have faith in?"

"That I won't hit the ground."

" _What?!"_

Ganondorf pushed himself off the branch. Nothing marred his five-storey plummet. Zelda thrust out a hand, screaming his name.

He froze. Inches above dirt. Encased in a golden glow. This must be a trick. A hallucination to protect Zelda from the _very real_ image of Ganondorf's legs crushed and mangled at the base of the tree. Or worse.

Her hand withdrew. Ganondorf landed with a soft thud. Zelda scurried down the tree, scared and determined to find out what really awaited her at the bottom. She landed and spun towards him. He sat cross-legged with the biggest grin on his face that said what she refused to accept.

"What in Din's name, Ganondorf? You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"But I didn't."

Zelda's fists clenched. "Oh really? And why didn't you?"

"Because I had faith that you would catch me, and you did."

Everything stopped. Her heart and mind came to a screeching halt. Magic. She had used _magic_ to save him.

A leaf from the canopy spun on the breeze. Zelda stretched out her hand. The leaf glowed gold and slowed its fall, gently descending into her palm. She had faith that it would.

First, she blinked at the leaf, then she picked it up to examine, and she laughed. "Wow. I did it. I actually did it!" She turned to Ganondorf; just the madman she needed to figure it out. "Thank-you, Ganon."

He quirked a brow. "Only my friends call me Ganon."

"Oh! Um…" She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I guess that means we're friends."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're queer or a BIPOC and have any feedback on how I've represented your identity, you're welcome to comment. I'm doing my best to research and be respectful but there's still a chance I might mess up.


	14. Mean Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midna’s week goes from bad to worse. She’s been cast as the "school slut", her parents are overbearingly controlling, the Yiga are still trying to kidnap her, and Zelda won’t leave her alone. Does she handle it well? *nervous laughter*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are two things things I forgot to put on the content warning list when I first posted Chapter 12 that are relevant to this chapter. The first is mild queerphobia, and the second is that occasionally a character will fake a disability or mental illness. Though it is not my intention to invalidate the experiences disabled people, without a disclaimer, I was afraid that might be the outcome. (Maybe it still is. Feel free to comment.)
> 
> Updated 23 February 2021. Chapter title changed from 'Midna's Torment' to 'Mean Girl'.

Tahk pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes screwed shut. "Your mother and I were away for two days," he said, rage simmering beneath every word, "and you ran off with some boy, and not just any boy. Link Harkinian."

He was seated at the far end of the dining table, beneath two shelves. The top was loaded with first place trophies, medals, and certificates won in spelling bees, sports carnivals, gymnastics competitions, and more. The shelf below it displayed less: mostly second place accolades, and only for academic and business pursuits.

Yet Zant sat on Tahk's left, smiling at Midna as if he had swiped first place away from her.

On Tahk's right was Midna's mother, Solaria. She was a tall, slender woman with high cheekbones and thin, dark blue lips in a perpetual frown. Her burnt orange hair was pulled into a bun as uptight as her attitude, and her modest attire was the opposite of Midna's revealing style. A billowing white linen dress cinched at the waist. The sleeves cuffed her wrists and a long peplum reached her mid-calf. Lab-grown diamonds hung limply from her ears. Hands with pristinely vanished nails were folded in her lap. _Hylian priestess but make it a wealth flex,_ Midna thought.

Midna was slumped in her seat opposite from Tahk with her arms crossed. She refused to make eye-contact with her family as Tahk lectured her for being "promiscuous", Solaria called her behaviour "unrefined", and Zant gave his testimony, the latter of which made Midna's blood rise from a simmer to a rolling boil.

"I saw them leave," Zant said like a little boy who had just seen a blupee. "I saw her get onto the bike without a helmet," _Bullshit._ "touch him up," _Bullshit._ "and they drove off above the speed limit." _Bullshit!_ "She came home eight hours later. Her hair was a mess, and so were her clothes."

Midna shot to her feet. A fist shook the table. "For fuck's sake, we weren't fucking in the forest!"

"Then what were you doing?" Solaria asked pointedly.

Midna bit her lip, fighting for an excuse. She couldn't expose her magic, and she couldn't expose Link's quest, but she _refused_ to be seen as some sexually irresponsible teenager. "He was behind, way behind, on our assignment. We needed to go to an all-night library to sort it out."

"Bullshit!" Tahk barked. "No one comes back from the library looking like you did. We all know what his sister said this morning."

"It was a lie! She's a bitch trying to trash my campaign."

"From what I can tell, you trashed it yourself."

His words stung like a bari. If only Midna's parents knew what she had _really_ been dealing with while they were off playing Happy Anniversary at the hot springs. What if they came home to find the house in shambles and Midna abducted into some demonic cult? What if they knew Link was the reason why that didn't happen? What if they knew, but didn't care?

The room was silent, waiting for Midna's confession. She kept her mouth shut, daring them to punish her for a crime she did not commit. "Fine," Tahk growled. "If you won't own up to what happened, I'll have to ask the Harkinian boy a few questions myself."

It took every ounce of self-control Midna had to not explode into a magical rage right there. She was tempted, _so_ tempted, yet even with magic on her side, she still had no power. She swallowed the impulse down, and keeping her voice still was like walking a tightrope. A good thing she was trained in both. "Congratulations, captain. Guilty as charged." Midna sank back into her chair. "But let me make something clear. It was _my_ idea to do it, and only as a one-time thing. He was the one who remembered protection." The lies were absolutely rancid on her tongue, but they needed to be said. She'd take the foul taste and the punishment over Link's incarceration weighing on her conscience. That was the only reason why she did it though, so she wouldn't have to feel bad for him.

Solaria stared down at her like she was a stain on the family. "We're very disappointed in you, Midna."

"It won't happen again."

"Like hell it will," said Tahk. "We're putting bars on your windows and scheduled motion sensors at your door. You will only go out with my say so, and you are to send hourly selfies of where you are outside of school."

Midna's fists shook in her lap. It would be _so easy_ to just throw him into a wall. "You're a control freak!"

"If you're sneaking off with delinquents in the middle of the night, then I haven't controlled you enough."

"It's because we love you, sweetheart." Solaria never used _sweetheart_ unless she was displeased with her. "And a word of advice, the bad boy is never worth it." _Like you have high standards,_ Midna thought bitterly. _You married a cop._

The family court martial ended with Midna and Zant being dismissed to their rooms for study, although Midna was ordered to hand over her slate lest she be caught "sexting". Urgh. Solaria would give it back just before school the next day.

The moment Midna and Zant were alone in the hallway, she grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. "What was _that?"_ she spat. "You promised not to tell."

" _I_ didn't expose your little secret. Zelda did. They would've found out eventually, and then we'd both be in trouble."

"Let's pretend you didn't just lie through your teeth right now," she said. "Why'd you make it sound so suggestive?"

Zant rolled his eyes. "I was saving you from yourself. You like him. Deny it all you like. If you haven't fallen for his charm last night as you claim, then you would have eventually if left unchecked."

She was enraged. Completely. Utterly. But it wasn't because he was backing the same stupid rumour as everyone else, and it wasn't because he sided with their parents against her. It wasn't even because he lied to win some Favourite Child Points.

It was because what he had just said stirred a hidden infestation of butterflies in her chest. Zant was right. It was dangerous to like Link this much.

* * *

Midna and her friends sat on the bleachers as they did every morning before school. They huddled together, chatting about new releases on the high street while Midna remained silent, only contributing to the conversation when directly asked. (She preferred boutiques anyway.) She tapped away on her tablet, trying to brainstorm some way to recover her campaign. If she did something that made her parents proud, they'd finally loosen up. They always did.

But this was a situation she didn't know how to recover from, because there was no way to expose the truth. That morning, her friends said they had her back, but their conversation slipped into intrusive territory.

" _How did he perform?"_

" _What does he look like under it all?"_

" _You don't have to be shy with us."_

" _It's always the delinquents who come after Daddy's Little Girl."_

" _I think it's kinda sexy."_

" _Midna Ozul; living the fantasy."_

All she did was deny, but without an explanation, she had no choice but to let them believe it. When she refused to provide details, they made up their own. Speculating on Midna's supposed sex life. Reducing her and Link to a canvas which they projected their own fantasies into. No matter what, she could not shut it down. She was almost ready to throw hands when they all stopped, heads turning in the same direction.

To Zelda.

She clutched fistfuls of her vintage dress. "Um… Midna. I was hoping we could talk." Her gaze darted about the posse. "Privately."

All the girls burst into cruel laughter, except for Midna, who stared down at Zelda like she was a stain on the carpet.

A stain on her conscience.

"Wow. Isn't this an interesting turn of events?" sneered Celeste, a Twili girl with space buns and a white tennis skirt. "Come to beg Midna to give you your brother back? Did being a conniving little bitch not work?"

"That's not what I-"

"You know, I really hate girls like you. Acting like you're the perfect little school girl." Celeste put on a mocking impression of Zelda's voice. "'Look at me! I follow the dress code. I get good grades. I'm so nice. Everyone loves me!'" Midna fought for her hair to stay still. To not shoot forth and throttle a throat. Zelda's face paled and her eyes brimmed with tears. "But the moment someone better than you comes along, you show everyone how much of a two-faced _bitch_ -"

"Shut up, Celeste!" Midna was on her feet. All heads snapped towards her, mouths ajar. "Why am I even friends with you?" She stole a glance at Zelda, whose eyes glittered with hope. "You're just stooping to _her_ level."

As Celeste stammered her defence, Zelda's face of utter defeat and betrayal almost tore Midna in half. Almost. Zelda covered her mouth, choked back a sob, and ran away. "Keep running!" Celeste called. Midna smacked her over the head. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For making me look bad!" She glared at each and every girl with fire in her eyes. "Zelda is a conniving little bitch, we all agree on that, but she is _my_ problem. _Your_ job is to ignore her. No more talking about her _or_ her stupid brother. Got it?" They all said nothing, glancing at each other awkwardly. "Got it?" she repeated through gritted teeth.

"Look, Midna," said another Twili. "You're kinda the school slut now. The best thing you can do is own it."

"Yeah, you don't get to tell us what to do anymore," said Celeste. "We're the ones doing _you_ a favour now." The other girls hesitantly nodded along.

Midna's hair bristled. "Excuse me?"

"Either accept us as we are or find new friends," another said. Midna's shaking hands gripped her tablet so tight that it was a miracle she didn't snap it in half. The bell rang. Midna snatched up her bag and spun on her heel without so much as a goodbye.

Zelda waited at her usual desk by the door in Midna's homeroom. She sprung to her feet as soon as Midna entered. "Midna, I want to apologise-"

"Stay away, you two-faced bitch!" Zelda plopped back into her seat and buried her damp eyes in the folded arms on her desk.

Rage simmered within Midna the entire day. First period wasn't so bad, until a pair of boys flanked her on the running track. They whistled at her and said that Link totally "high-scored". As they ogled her "bouncing tits", two thin tendrils of hair reached down their shorts and yanked the elastic of their underpants sky high. Their simultaneous squeaks sent Midna cackling as she sprinted ahead.

Next came morning tea in the cafeteria, where Midna begrudgingly chose to sit with her "friends" as they made all sorts of unsavoury claims about Zelda.

" _She's so uptight. She must be a virgin."_

" _I bet she only wears the bi pin on her bag to make everyone think she can get banged by whoever."_

" _And the ace pin so she has an excuse for why she can't."_

Midna weighed the pros and cons of being convicted of homicide as she emptied her tray into the bin. She spied her friends' table over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes. It jolted, causing a spray of food to rain on them. Yelling. Pointing. Blame hurled around like bricks. _Good,_ Midna thought, but it was followed by a sickly feeling. These were her friends, so easily provoked to toxic behaviour. Friends who brought out her worst. Friends who _mirrored_ her worst. What was she doing with her life?

After morning tea was Language and Literature Studies. With Link. Part of her wanted to take comfort in the fact that at least they both knew the truth. It was a part she quashed. Her goal was simple. Be distant. Hold him at arm's length. He greeted her awkwardly. She nodded curtly.

During the lecture part of the lesson, they were silent, stealing the odd glance to see how the other was doing. Both their expressions were too blank to tell.

Then came the part Midna had been dreading; their first conversation since the debate. Link lay out his notes and talked through them as he had on Monday morning. Midna listened for the most part, thinking about how to best phrase her feedback, when she noticed that Mrs Twinrova wasn't wandering around the classroom like usual. Instead, she sat at her desk. Hands tightly clasped. Watching them. As if the moment she turned away, Midna and Link would scramble to undress each other right then and there.

It was like a bucket of warm sewage had been dumped over her. She turned back to Link, his handsome face, his earnest effort to work through the awkwardness, and forced herself to see him as nothing more than the other half of her scandal. Anyone related to Zelda must be just as vile. Just as capable of ruining her.

"This is so basic," she said, referring to his outline. "Like _really_ basic."

"Any tips to flesh it out?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe try harder? Figure it out yourself? Or are you such a cucco-brain that I have to do everything for you?"

He pinched his nose with a deep sigh. "Midna, please. Just give me actual feedback." His flat tone was but a thin sheet covering frustration. Somewhat similar to how her father spoke yesterday.

"Oh, you want a medal because you asked for feedback? You haven't done _anything_ to fix it yourself since Monday."

"It's been a rough couple of days."

Midna mock gasped. "Really? I hadn't noticed."

Taking another moment to collect himself, Link shuffled his notes together. "We'll try again later," he said. "Can you show me what you've done?"

She did, having caught up on her side of things yesterday afternoon. Her outline was far more detailed, and Link found little wrong with it, but for every criticism he did bring up, Midna used it as a springboard to antagonise him further. "Why should I even listen to you? Your outline is crap."

He didn't recoil. He didn't cut back. He took every hit and the bruises that came with it. She felt rotten, but she _needed_ to do this. She needed everyone to know that she did not find Link alluring in _any_ way. Everyone had to believe that she hated his very soul. That would dispel the rumours. That would recover her reputation.

Right?

After more lessons and a lunch break in the library to catch up on more study, the school day ended. At first, Midna was relieved to finally escape the halls that echoed her alleged sins, but at home, those same rumours would be smacked across her face like a wet cloth over and over again.

The rideshare home should provide a moment of peace.

Midna paused just before her hand touched the handle. The driver was craning his neck over his seat, like a predator watching its prey. Alarms sounded in her mind. A look around the carpark. Plenty of people milled about. She tapped on the driver's door with her boot. He rolled down the window and put on the most plastic grin. One that rivalled Tahk's. "Can I help you?"

"I'm really sorry about this, but could you _please_ help me put my bag in the boot?" she asked.

The smile vanished. "Can't you do it yourself?"

She gasped. "That's not good service!"

"Ma'am. I'm really sorry, but I can't touch passenger property without a good reason."

"But I have one." Midna held up her limp hands. "I have weak wrists. I needed help just to put on my bag all day. If I try to take it off myself, I won't be able to pick it up." He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. Midna batted her lashes. "Please?"

"Alright." He put the car into park and swung open the door. Midna stepped back into the sunlight and shrugged off the straps. The bag landed on the grass with a soft thud. Shooting a scowl her way, the driver emerged from the shade of the car.

His baggy clothes and overgrown dad cut did not match his shadow's skin-tight silhouette and spikey wolftail. Just as he reached for her bag, Midna threaded her arm through one of the shoulder straps and pulled away. It swung from her elbow. "I just realised I left something inside. I'll be right back." She bolted towards the school building, threw herself into the empty hall, and dove into the first shadow she saw.

She caught the bus home that afternoon.

The bars and motion sensors had been installed in Midna's room during the school day. Though her shadow-walking could bypass both, she couldn't risk sneaking out alone. The tools became a cruel reminder of her imprisonment, of her parents' desire to mould her into the perfect child they could boast of.

The Yiga didn't try to attack that night. Perhaps the new security deterred them. She hated the thought.

At the dinner table, Zant boasted about his internship to their parents. For the first time in forever, they actually listened, especially when he tossed in snide remarks about how much better he was at staying focused than Midna.

When everyone was asleep, Midna briefly stole back her slate. Link had texted her. She left him on read.

Thursday was a retread of everything wrong with Wednesday. Zelda tried to "apologise" before school, in homeroom, and during lunch breaks. Each time, Midna would shut her down with incessant guilt-tripping that brought Zelda to the verge of tears. In LLS, Midna continued to antagonise Link. He wasn't available to study that weekend because of Impa's training regime? His stupid little treasure hunt could wait until _after_ they aced the assignment. No, they would _not_ take an extension. Midna's parents would view it as a ploy to steal more time away with him.

Link tried to corner her after class. She slipped away.

There was no happiness or security to be found in friendships, family, or even her own company. Honestly, she had known for far too long, but this was the first time it hit Midna as hard as it did. Celeste and friends continued to gossip about Link and Zelda, and they probably gossiped about Midna when she wasn't around. At least they had the decency to be heavy on the passive aggression. Her parents always assumed she committed debauchery every time their eyes weren't on her. Alone time was not only scarce, but dangerous. The rare few times she wasn't having to look over her shoulder or double check passing shadows, she was left feeling ugly in her own presence, convinced that everyone disliked her.

She encouraged it, because open dislike of Midna was safer than that which was masked by sweet words.

Thursday afternoons was gymnastics, the highlight of Midna's week. Finally, a chance to focus on something she enjoyed for once. To have complete control over her body and do remarkable things at a time when she felt so powerless and unremarkable. To receive praise from her coach who said she would definitely qualify for regionals…

Her heart sank. The comment was a harsh reminder that Midna was never allowed to be in anything just for the fun of it. There was always the expectation from her parents that any time she did anything, she had to bring home gold.

Midna stayed behind to help pack for as long as possible. Any excuse to delay going to meet her rideshare. She hadn't come up with a plan to determine if today's driver was a Yiga agent. The same trick probably wouldn't work twice.

She was the last to leave the gymnasium. Alone. Big mistake. Link was waiting by the entrance. "We need to talk." Midna walked past him, into the sunlight. He followed her. "Midna," he said, more urgently this time. She ignored him. "Midna!" He seized her wrist.

She whipped around, hair flailing, as she tried to tear from his grip. "Let go! I'm not joining your stupid cult!"

"It's really me."

She checked his shadow, and her hair settled. Relief flowed through her. Wait, she shouldn't be relieved. She should be enraged! Her hair pulsed again. "Apparently the real Link is a stalker and a creep."

Link sighed and let go. "I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't've grabbed you. There's no excuse." Except there was. Midna knew perfectly well that he didn't have any other options, and she also knew that he was going to annoy her until they had whatever conversation he was dying to have.

Midna crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

"Hear Zelda out."

He might as well have smacked her across the face. "Hear her out? The last time I did that, she ruined my life!" Her hair rippled about. She was _done_ holding back her anger. Now Link would see it on full display and he would _finally_ leave her alone. "The rumour mill is bad enough. Do you know what happened when Dad heard that I 'ran off with that Harkinian boy'? He's trying to lock me up in my own room like a criminal! So no, I don't need to hear Zelda out. She screwed up _everything_ for me, and there is _nothing_ she can say or do to make up for it!"

"Are you done?"

Midna shot him a scathing glare. "For now."

Link took off his hat and wring it in his hands. "What Zelda said hurt me too. Like really hurt. I'm still mad about it. The things they say about you, they say about me as well."

"Oh really? I've only heard them speak of your _conquest._ "

"They've said plenty of other things, but nothing hurts more than hearing them degrade you like that." He sighed. "I won't say I have it as bad as you, but I do know where you're coming from."

He was right. He was _always_ right and she hated him for it. "Get to the point."

"You have every right to be angry," Link said, "but I won't let you hurt my sister."

 _I won't let you hurt my sister._ He had said those words to her before, yelled them actually, on the school playground when they were eight. Midna's defences finally cracked, allowing the guilt to seep back in. He delivered the final blow. "You're better than this. I know you are. Zelda said you've been trying to make amends for years. You should know firsthand how hard it is to say sorry."

Yes, Midna did understand, but she did _not_ understand how Zelda could be ready to apologise the moment she messed up while Midna still struggled with an apology that was nine years overdue. "It doesn't matter what she says. I won't forgive her."

"I'm not asking you to," he said. "Just hear her out. We'll deal with everything like adults. After the assignment, we can all move on."

Move on? What was that supposed to mean? Surely not going back to how things were before, where they sat on opposite sides of the classroom, barely spoke to each other, yet still felt a lingering tension.

Sweet Nayru, Zant was right. She _did_ like him, and she _liked_ being liked by him. The nature of that "like" was still something she was figuring out for herself, but one thing was for certain. She was desperate for real, meaningful relationships, and Link was worth taking a chance on. As friends, of course. Nothing more.

_Tell him you're sorry._

"I… um…" Her fingers trailed her forearm. "Things are confusing right now. I don't know what to do about anything anymore, but I'll do my best to figure it out, because I don't want…" _to be the person I used to be,_ "to be a bitch anymore."

"Don't call yourself that."

She rolled her eyes. "I can call myself whatever I damn well please."

Link raised his hands in surrender, smiling. "Okay, okay. And what if I called myself a cucco brain?"

"Only I get to call you a cucco brain, cucco brain." They both chuckled.

"Thanks for listening," he said. "I won't hold you any longer. Farore forbid the captain finds out you ran off with that Harkinian boy again." Another laugh shared between them. Felt kinda nice to joke about it now.

The moment Link turned to leave, Midna was seized by an impulse. "Wait!" Their eyes met, and the flutters they summoned forced Midna to avert her gaze. "I never thanked you for helping me on Monday."

"Oh, that?" He waved it off. "No problem."

That amused Midna, because it was a very big problem. "Actually, I was hoping you could help me again." She toyed with a lock of hair. "I could use a ride home from someone who isn't trying to kidnap me for, like, the next week. If that's not too much trouble."

"Oh." He rubbed his neck. "Will your parents know?"

Midna shook her head. "I already have a cover story for them. If you drop me off at the street corner, they'll never know."

"In that case, I'd love to help."

* * *

On Friday morning, Midna ditched her friends at the bleachers, instead choosing to loiter just down the hall from Zelda's locker. As expected, soft footsteps approached, and a shy voice addressed her. "Midna?"

When Midna turned to her, Zelda flinched. No insults were thrown. No scathing looks. Just a patient Twili ready to listen. Zelda exhaled. "I'd like to apologise for how I behaved during the debate. There is truly no excuse for what I said, and I want you to know that I'm doing everything I can to clear your name," she said. "I'm telling everyone who asks that I made up the rumour out of jealousy. There were no woods, and there was no fraternising."

"You didn't make up anything," Midna grumbled.

"That doesn't matter. I started this mess, and I will do whatever it takes to clean it up. If anyone gives you grief, tell them to come to me, and I'll confess to them as well. If we keep it up, maybe everyone will stop saying those awful things."

Midna nodded slowly. "Thank-you." _Your turn to apologise,_ but she couldn't. There was still so much bitterness regarding Zelda. So much fear. "I appreciate it but…" She sighed, struggling to put her thoughts into words. "Could you maybe… give me some space?"

Zelda backed away. "Of course. I'll leave you be." With a parting nod, she retreated to her locker as Midna wandered down the hall.

An unfamiliar mix of emotions swirled through Midna's chest. The anger, bitterness, and guilt were still there, but it had been diluted by something new.

Hope.

Little by little, she could untangle her messy insides, and she could learn to weave them into the kind of person she always wanted to be. It was a nice thought, even if she knew it would never come to pass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another chapter that I both adore and am nervous about, but I think it's easier for us all to imagine Midna showing toxic traits because of how she was at the start of the game.
> 
> I'm dying to know what you think of Midna and Zelda now. Has Zelda redeemed herself? Does Midna still have some redeeming to do? Tell me tell me tell me!


	15. The Triforce Trio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our trio bonds as a team on and off the training arena, while Ganondorf and Impa reckon with dark secrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so fun thought that doesn't have much to do with the chapter, can you imagine Zelda showing up to the shooting gallery and beating Sheik's uncontested high score? And then later Sheik shows up to reclaim their spot on the leaderboard? From there, the regulars of the shooting gallery watch in awe as this newbie and Sheik have a competitive rivalry, completely unaware that they are the same person.
> 
> Updated 17 January 2021. Minor typos fixed.

When Impa came back from her shift on that fateful Tuesday morning, she was not only incensed with Link, but mandated that he, Zelda, and Ganondorf hone their combat skills before they pursued the medallions any further. _"You almost died to Gohma?"_ she had scolded. _"Your ancestor defeated it at age ten!"_

Saturday morning, the three of them sat around the dining room table, speculating on the location of the next medallion as they munched on the last edible morsels of Zelda's panic baking. Well, Link and Zelda did. Ganondorf was trying to listen to them through his nagging headache.

"There have been a lot of tremors around Death Mountain," Zelda argued. "It has to be connected to the Fire Medallion."

"Earthquakes around volcanos aren't unusual," Link said.

"But Death Mountain has been dormant since the age of magic ended. Around the time we pulled the sword, it's become active again." Zelda pulled up an email on her slate. "I've been corresponding with Daruk, the head of mining operations there. He believes that something within the volcano could be reacting with the increased magic levels."

Ganondorf's thoughts drifted away from the conversation, towards his subconscious. For the last few days, there was always some reel of bloodshed and tyranny playing in the back of his mind. He assumed it was anxiety about recently being offered a lot of power, both in the magical and political sense. A fear he never knew he had of being corrupted. At the same time, he felt divorced from the whole thing, as if someone else's thoughts had wandered into his head, settled in uninvited, and strew its things everywhere. It was annoying, but also a little creepy.

Something rose from the depths. It floated just beneath the surface like a drowned corpse. Fully-formed. Uncanny. _You could kill them now,_ it said. Ganondorf's eyes were locked on the bickering twins. _They're unarmed, and they don't suspect a thing. Snap their thin little necks, and then the world will be yours._

What? How was his mind capable of considering such an atrocity against his friends? _They're just intrusive thoughts,_ Ganondorf told himself. _They're supposed to disgust you. Just push them down, and-_

A hunger for violence gently simmered within. The barest thread of a desire to _kill the twins._

"Ganon? You've been awfully quiet," Zelda remarked.

"Yeah," said Link. "You alright, mate?"

Ganondorf cracked a false grin. "What? I've been trying to be a better listener, and I gotta say that I am on _fire_ today." He wiggled his eyebrows. The twins dressed their groans in smiles. Their chat resumed, and this time, Ganondorf made a conscious effort to participate. Whatever these thoughts were, they were easy to ignore for now. He could deal with them _after_ their quest.

"So, it's settled then," said Zelda. "We'll finish Impa's training regime as soon as we can, and then we can explore the volcanic mines before they erupt."

"I still think it's too dangerous for you," Link grumbled.

"But it isn't for you? If there's anything I've learned this past week, it's that you shouldn't go questing without supervision." Ganondorf choked on his tea. Link crossed his arms and shot them both a sour look.

"Easy there, mate," Ganondorf said. "She's a capable vai. Without her, you'd be molduga meat."

"You're an ass," Link said. It was code for _You're right and I hate you for it._

Ganondorf smiled. "Glad we agree."

"D'aww, isn't he cute when he's mad?" Zelda cooed. She pinched Link's cheek.

Ganondorf tussled his hair. "Adorable."

Link shook them away. "Since when did you two gang up on me?"

Before either could answer, there was a knock on the door. Zelda sprang to her feet and skipped over with Link close behind. Ganondorf trailed after them, a little apprehensive about meeting this new person Link had told him so much about.

Zelda flung open the door. "Uncle Rusl!" She threw herself into his arms.

"Good to see you, Zel." He hugged Link next. "Look how much you've grown! I swear you both look more like your parents every time I see you."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Easy for Link. He wears all of Dad's clothes."

Rusl chuckled. "Good thing I brought some of your Mum's old things with me."

"And I'm trying to bring it in," Impa said on the front porch, "but your sweet little reunion is in my way." They shuffled out of the doorway, and Impa walked in with a suitcase rolling behind her.

Rusl turned to Ganondorf with a greeting smile. "You must be the Mighty Ganondorf. Link has told me so much about you." He held out his hand. "Rusl Alder."

Ganondorf stared at the hand for a second before it clicked. He shook it. "Ganondorf Dragmire," he said. "Sorry about that. We don't shake hands in Gerudo Town much."

He waved it off. "Don't worry about it. It's an honour to meet this century's Gerudo man-"

"Voe-born Gerudo," Ganondorf corrected.

"Right. It's an honour to meet the voe-born Gerudo of the century, and I look forward to seeing how he fights."

"Ha! With the tenacity of a whole century's worth of voe, I assure you."

* * *

Tufts of grass and moss peaked from cracked stone tiles. They formed a wide circle surrounded by tall trees. Ancient Sheikah training grounds hidden away in the forest near Kakariko. Zelda marvelled at the space, wondering what history had been made here. Link and Ganondorf had spontaneously visited it once upon a weekend, though it was their first time seeing it in full daylight.

"Summon all your weapons," Impa ordered. Ganondorf's sheathed scimitars appeared first, followed by his boomerang. He set them down. Link lay the Master Sword and crossbow beside it. It took Zelda a few tries, but she was elated to produce her precious bow and quiver from thin air. (She was afraid she might've lost them forever.)

Rusl paced back and forth, examining the weapons and forming lesson plans around them. He stopped on the Master Sword. "Is it the real thing?"

"Yeah," Link said. "Ganon can attest." Ganondorf elbowed him.

"Can I have a go?" Rusl asked. Link nodded. The Ordonian heaved on the handle, but it refused him. "Farore, it is real!" The trio chuckled.

Ganondorf picked up the Gale Boomerang and held it out to him. "Give this a whirl." Rusl tossed the boomerang. It created a small whirlwind that tussled the hair of everyone present. His jaw fell open. When the boomerang looped back around, he yelled and ducked. Ganondorf leapt forward to catch it.

Rusl took a moment to gain his bearings, then looked at Ganondorf in wide-eyed wonder. "Seems like you know how to use it better than me."

He shrugged. "Self-driving weapon." Zelda giggled, and for the first time, she wished her mask wasn't hiding her smile.

Impa clapped her hands for everyone's attention. "First item: Rusl and I want to see what you can do." From her pocket, she drew an illusion strip. It rose into the air, and with a scrunch and a snap, the ashes of the burning parchment shot upwards in all directions. Several moving targets swirled above them. "Zelda, you're up. Shoot as many targets as you can in three minutes."

Zelda nodded and stepped forward with butterflies in her chest. At the shooting range, her Sheik disguise was a comfort. She could fail fast and do so anonymously which was how she became such a prodigious archer in the first place. Here, there was no anonymity. The training would be over soon if she exceeded their staggering expectations, right? Well, she could only try her best.

The arena was hers. Zelda readjusted her mask as she gazed up at a whirlwind of about twenty targets or so. This should be no different to the shooting gallery, where her high score was uncontested. The notion calmed her a little as she nocked her first arrow with a second in hand.

"Ready," Impa called. "Set. _Go."_

Two targets poofed into ash in the first ten seconds. Link and Ganondorf cheered from the sidelines. She sprinted towards her next mark as she drew another arrow. The tip followed its movement and shot through. _Poof_. Her chest swelled with pride as she picked off the targets. All that sand seal practice had almost perfected the art of archery on the go.

Only ten remained. "Two minutes left," Impa called. Zelda smirked as she drew two more arrows and aimed.

The targets had changed route, zipping about in zig zags. In twenty seconds, two more became ash. Zelda's next arrow missed, but the following one barely hit. She scowled.

Many arrows were wasted on the remaining targets. The more she hit, the more they darted about like pesky flies. Not to mention how _high_ they were. Zelda had to tilt her head back to the furthest degree just to aim. Two targets remained.

"Thirty seconds."

They zipped about so fast that they were almost a blur. Zelda aimed an arrow at a fork in the tree one of the targets had passed. When it looped around, an arrow poofed it. She applied the same strategy to the final mark, but the moment her arrow flew, the target zipped off course. Zelda scowled and fired arrow after arrow. The target dodged each one with hummingbird reflexes.

"Five." Zelda channelled her magic. "Four." She thrust out her hand. The target froze in gold light. "Three." She snatched an arrow. The connection broke. "Two." In a panic, Zelda shot. It missed. Completely. "One."

The target exploded. Her bow fell to her side as the others approached. "I failed."

"Not quite," Impa said. "The point of the exercise was to find your limit, and we just did."

"I was supposed to lose?" Impa nodded. Zelda pouted beneath her mask.

Next up was Ganondorf, who would show off his skills by sparring Link. They circled each other in the arena with practice swords, as they had many times before in many different places. "Ready," Impa said. Link spun his hilt as Ganondorf cracked his neck and shoulders. "Set." They took their fighting stances. "Go."

They hurtled towards each other. Ganondorf unleashed a barrage of slashes. Link bobbed around them. Two swords against one left Link with little room for an opening. Rusl frowned at Ganondorf's technique, as he was sure to tire himself out, but when Link was caught in a block, he shook under Ganondorf's superior strength. Ganon shoved him back. Link tottered. A sword flew at his throat, stopping shy. "I win," Ganondorf announced. "What's the tally now? Twenty-seven out of fifty-one?"

"You're at twenty-six and you know it!"

Round two. Each followed the same pattern of attack, but this time Rusl's prediction came true. Ganondorf's attacks became sluggish enough for Link to slip around to his back and prod him in the spine. Ganondorf groaned as he massaged the sore spot. "Best of three?" he offered.

"I think that's enough," Rusl said. "Both fights were revealing."

As Rusl and Impa planned the weekend's lessons, the teens paused for a quick drink and small talk. The voice in Ganondorf's head whispered still. _You are a blight on their family, trailing behind their unparalleled bond._ Thoughts like those had crept into his subconscious ever since Monday morning, but Zelda calling him a friend did wonders for ignoring it, especially when the three of them chatted so naturally. The link between Ganondorf and Zelda was all that they were missing for the perfect balance between their trio.

"I reckon we should have a team name," he said.

Zelda giggled. "And why is that?"

"All the best hero squads have one."

"Ooh!" Zelda clapped her hands excitedly. "What about No be̞ Daʃeʋu?" The boys blinked at her. She sighed. "It's ancient Hylian. Means Youth of Light."

"Doesn't quite roll off the tongue, Zel," Link said.

"Then what would _you_ suggest?"

Link shrugged. "Hero Squad?"

Zelda and Ganondorf cringed. "Hella basic, mate," he said.

"Couldn't agree more," said Zelda. "The idea of calling myself a member of the 'Hero Squad' reminds me of those kids who were in the news last week because they dressed up in spandex and got into a tussle with a blind man who had accidentally stolen someone's dog." The boys tilted their heads simultaneously. "What? I've been combing news sites about odd happenings for the past two weeks. That article looked like it had something to do with the Yiga."

"Did it?" Link asked. Zelda shook her head.

"Send me the link," said Ganondorf.

Zelda opened the article on her slate and held it out to Link, biting back a smile. He blinked at it. "What?"

"You're the Link," Zelda said. "You have to pass it over."

"I thought we agreed no more punning on my name?"

"For a month, yes, but now the month is up." Zelda and Ganondorf laughed as Link groaned. He was _not_ enjoying this new dynamic.

Their training first focused on honing the skills they already had. Link's steady stances and parries were a bit rusty, and Ganondorf needed a stronger defence. They were quick to smooth out their edges and were able to move onto new forms and techniques within a few hours. Part of that included Rusl's insistence that Link use a shield.

"It'll weigh me down," Link complained.

Rusl held the Hylian Shield out to him. "C'mon, son. It's a family heirloom, and it'll protect you from magical attacks."

Impa's focus remained solely on developing Zelda's levitation ability to serve in battle. It took her the whole afternoon to get from hovering a few inches off the ground to shakily levitating herself onto treetops for greater vantage points. Impa tried to teach her more spells, like light shields, but Zelda couldn't conjure it for more than a few seconds.

After a long and exhausting day, they set up camp. Link built the fire while the rest pitched three tents. Zelda hammered in her last peg and rose to admire her handiwork. The tent tipped to the right, a breeze threatening to collapse it. Her shoulders drooped.

Ganondorf dusted off his hands as he stopped beside her. "Sagging like a Lon Lon cow."

Zelda rapped the paper in her hand. "I followed the instructions exactly."

"The pegs aren't hammered in deep enough," he said, "and the strings are too loose. C'mon, I'll show you how to fix it." She passed him the mallet, and the moment his fingers closed around it, he was struck by the impulse to smash it through her skull. He shuddered.

"Are you alright?" Zelda asked.

"Just a bit cold."

"I'll fetch you another layer." She bobbed into one of the other tents. He stared after her for a moment, wondering what could possess his mind to conjure such a repulsive thought. Again, it didn't feel entirely his own. Whatever this was, it wasn't _that_ serious. He trusted himself to never give into them.

Ganondorf pounded each peg deep into the ground with a single hit and retied all the strings so that they were taut. The tent was much sturdier now. As he walked around the perimeter one more time, Zelda threw a hoodie in his face and ran towards the campfire with a giggle. He ripped it off his head and smiled. Her sparks of mischief were always a treat.

Zelda had taught Link how to cook in the kitchen many times, only to be met by astounding levels of incompetence, or as Link called it, "bad luck." At the campfire, the situation was reversed entirely.

"But how do you _know_ it's hot enough?" Zelda asked.

"You just know."

"Without using a thermometer?"

"Why in Din's name would I stick a thermometer into the fire?"

"Don't you use one of those fancy laser ones?"

"Never heard of them."

Zelda watched in awe as Link whipped together vegetable and meat stew in the pot. "We'll let it simmer for a bit." He stood. "I'll pump your mattress. Sing out when it's done."

"But how do I-"

"You'll _know._ " Link had plenty of confidence in Zelda as he went to complete his task. After all, how hard was it to mess up a stew? He had barely made three pumps when Zelda nervously called. "Link? Is it normal to have a swarm of bugs settle in the pot?"

A few spices Ganondorf had brought along did wonders to fix the cooking mishap. With bowls licked clean beside them, Rusl told Ganondorf all sorts of hilarious stories from the Harkinian twins' childhood.

"Link was a rascal of a baby," Rusl said. The rascal of a teen groaned. "Quite the escape artist. One summer day, there was a nice breeze. Senior left the door open to cool down the house a bit. While she was dusting, things were oddly quiet in the nursery, so she went inside to find that little Junior had _finally_ gotten to sleep in because her alarm clock had crawled off!

"Senior tore through the house looking for him, then she had everyone scour the village. We thought Little Link might've fallen into the river or gotten snatched up by a wolfos. Eventually, Impa and I found him at the spring, splashing about as happy as could be."

Impa reached out to ruffle Link's hair. "Supposed that should've warned us how he'd turn out."

Even Link reluctantly joined in on the group chuckle. "No fair. No one's here to tell Ganon's embarrassing baby stories."

"And it's gonna stay that way," Ganondorf said. "But I can tell embarrassing tween Link stories."

"Dangerous words. I could return the favour." Ganondorf laughed but didn't push it.

"By the way," said Rusl, "I'm dying to know how two children of destiny became friends."

Zelda burst into a fit of giggles. "Oh Farore, it's a marvellous story."

"An epic one!" said Ganondorf.

"Epicly stupid," Link grumbled, though he was half smiling.

"Gave me a real headache," Impa remarked.

"Now I _must_ hear it." Rusl scooted around towards Ganondorf, who launched into the tale.

"It was a fine day nine years ago," he began, "and by fine, I mean absolutely fucked. My first day of public school."

"He was a right old grump," Link said.

"For good reason! I liked being home schooled in Gerudo Town. Some stuffy politicians ruled that it wasn't a 'proper education' so they forced me and the rest of the kids into the public system. Anyway, it was Link's first day too, and he wasn't too happy about it either."

"For good reason," Link said. Everyone knew why. His parents had died at the start of the summer and Impa, his new guardian, had him and Zelda move to a strange new city.

"Yeah, we were both grumps," Ganondorf continued. "Link would sit in the farthest corner of the classroom with the most sour look on his face, and I kept acting up. Didn't mean to at first. New environment, you know?"

"Yeah, and then you kept escalating shit," Link said.

"In my defence, no one _said_ not to snack during lesson time, so my stomach and I were pretty pissed. But yeah, I was a bit of a problem child. Kept sassing the teacher, picked on some of the other students. Link wasn't having it though, so he pretended to trip and spilled orange juice all over my notebook."

"For the last time, wasn't trying to ruin your stuff."

"You were squeezing the box!"

"I was aiming for your face!"

"And you did a piss poor job of it." Everyone laughed. "Thus began the prank wars. I stuck gum on his seat. He hid mouldy grapes in my bag. I guached a giant dick on his desk. He swapped my pens for leaky duds."

"We'd pass each other in the halls and pull faces," Link said. Zelda shuddered at the memories.

"My faces were better," Ganon gloated.

"Cause you have a big mouth."

"And talent." The friends snickered. "Visits to the principal's office became a daily thing. At some point, we realised that we kinda liked each other. We had gotten a lunchtime detention for trying to draw on each other in permanent marker. Link invited me to his local park after school, and the rest is history."

"The teacher looked like she had seen a poe," Link added.

Rusl chuckled. "Glad you resolved your differences."

"Actually, their 'playdate' was a tree-climbing contest full of trash talk," said Zelda. "And they got into trouble for flinging rubber bands at each other the next morning. It took many months to convince them that they could just _enjoy_ each other's company."

"I didn't expect a whole romcom plot," Rusl teased. The group howled with laughter.

* * *

Impa lay in the centre of the arena. Ankles crossed. Head resting against interlaced fingers. She read the sea of stars framed by a circle of dark tree tops. They held no message for her. The dread in her chest sank to a whole new low. Her thundering pulse melded with the sound of crickets.

Footsteps thudded against stone and stopped at her head. The shadowy silhouette stretched his arms as he yawned. "What are you looking for this late?" Rusl asked.

"A new path."

A beat of silence passed them by. "I see." With a grunt, Rusl lay down, his head beside Impa's. "As a fellow parent, I can only begin to understand your pain."

"I'm flattered you think of them as my children."

"Aren't they?"

Impa hmphed. "I don't have a right to call them that."

"My brother would disagree, and so would Zelda. I'm a bit surprised she isn't haunting you for that right now." He imitated her voice. "For Din's sake, Impa. I told you to mother them in my absence, so you might as well take the title."

"Still not worthy," Impa deadpanned. "No mother would put their children on this path."

"Ah, the old Everything is my Fault Game," Rusl chanted. "I'm a religious man, but people like you deserve to shake your fist at the sky and curse the Goddesses once in a while."

She hummed. "That does sound nice, but it won't change anything."

"True. At least we have the present moment."

"It's slipping away fast. You saw how they were today. I was hoping we could drag our training regime out for a month or two, but they're too good."

Rusl groaned and got up. "Such a pessimist," he said. "If there's ever a time to enjoy the little moments, it's now." She did not respond. His footsteps receded towards his tent.

With a sigh, Impa set her eyes upon the stars once more.

* * *

"We're thoroughly impressed with the progress you've all made," Rusl said.

Zelda's eyes lit up. "Does that mean we're done?"

"Not quite," said Impa, arms crossed. "One more test."

The blades on her belt were different. Translucent. Iridescent. With glowing blue runes along the edge of the blade. It was another shadow magic spell of the Sheikah variety, one which allowed the blade to spare flesh while inflicting pain. Phantom blades, they were called.

The shadows of the trees were long, and the light was tinged with an orange glow. Their second day of training was almost over. Though their muscles were sore, and their breath was shorter than usual, they still had energy to spare for one last battle, whatever it might be.

Ganondorf felt a bit more sluggish than his teammates, having been assaulted by more disturbing dreams throughout the night. He had come to a conclusion that comforted him. These thoughts and dreams were warning him to be vigilant and prepared for the Demon King's return. Casting Ganondorf as said king was a device to help him fully comprehend the extent of his villainy. By that logic, Link and Zelda also struggled with similar nightmares but were too afraid to bring it up. Ganondorf did _not_ want to be the first.

"The three of you are going to battle Rusl and I," Impa continued. She snapped her fingers, and ribbons appeared around the dominant wrists of everyone present. "Your job is to steal the ribbons off our wrists, but if we steal just one of yours, all three of you lose."

"Is that fair?" Ganondorf asked. "I know it's three on two, but still."

"It's to teach you that you can't afford casualties, while the enemy can."

He shrugged. Zelda gnawed her lip. "Will we ever have to kill on our quest?"

"With any luck, it won't come to that," said Rusl. "We could hardly ask three children to consider it, and there would be legal issues to contend with."

"But make no mistake," said Impa, "you must place the survival of Hyrule above all else." Zelda gulped but summoned her bow obediently.

The teams trudged to opposite ends of the arena. "Alright, let's discuss our strategy," hushed Zelda.

"I'll take on Rusl," Link said. "I know him best."

"But he's taught you for years. Something tells me they won't hold back anymore."

"Leave the uncle to me," said Ganondorf. "I'm more of a wildcard."

"Just don't be too careless." Zelda turned to her brother. "Link, keep a strong defence against Impa. I'll provide support from the treetops." Link nodded and drew his sword. His shield arm remained bare for the time being. "Ganondorf, give Link the boomerang. He'll need a non-lethal ranged attack." Ganondorf summoned the item and passed it over. Link stored it in his pocket void.

The trio turned towards their competition. "We're ready," Link called.

Neither Rusl nor Impa paid them any mind, still chatting like they were having a short catch up on the street corner. Had they not heard them?

"Hey!" Ganondorf hollered. "When are you-" Impa shot forth in a blur. Ganon barely swiped in time. She burst into a puff of smoke. More shadow clones rained upon the trio. Link and Ganon sliced through them without pause for breath, until Link had a spare second to glance over his shoulder at Zelda.

Her foam-tipped arrow flitted between the three clones encroaching on her as she backed into a tree. They charged. Three hands swiped at her ribbon. A nut cracked. Blinding flash. Blonde hair ducked behind the trunk.

Ganon sent a spray of lightning bolts at the final clones running at them. The arena was abandoned.

Link twisted this way and that until silver hair darted between the trees. He chased after it. "Watch out!" Zelda cried. He leapt back as an arrow hit the hand that grazed Link's ribbon. Rusl grunted, but scarcely rubbed the sore spot. Link's blade was upon him. Wood clacked. Rusl threw back his head and slammed it into Link's. The hero stumbled back with a groan. He glanced up just in time to swerve Rusl's swing and counter. The mentor puffed into smoke.

Crouching on a branch, Zelda observed as the boys fought clone after clone of the _wrong_ enemy. This had to Impa's work. She was hiding somewhere with a vantage point of the chaos she sewed.

Zelda hopped from branch to branch, her body awash in a golden glow, until rustling leaves pricked her ears. She got excited and landed on a branch much louder than expected. Impa shot from the shadows. Zelda squeaked and thrust out her hand. Impa glowed gold the moment she seized Zelda's wrist. With a twist, Zelda tore away and hurled Impa towards the centre of the arena. A mid-air flip, and Impa landed like a cat. Ganon hurtled towards her with a roar. Impa drew two phantom knives and dashed forward.

Zelda redid the loosened ribbon with her teeth and darted through the canopy in search of Link and Rusl. They burst through the bushes. Rusl stumbled backwards onto tile but recovered with a swing at Link's unarmed side. A burst of magic, and wood met metal. Link's shield bashed Rusl, but again he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Impa grunted as Ganondorf landed a hit.

The real Rusl spun around Link, sword bound for spine until a foam arrow to the shoulder joint foiled him. Link whirled around, but his blade met Rusl's shield.

The battle raged on between the _wrong_ pairs, with Impa and Rusl pulling every dirty trick they could on the boys. Zelda rattled her brain for a plan. It was as if their teachers didn't _want_ them to succeed!

Or, perhaps, not without learning some tough lessons, and that was why Zelda chanced a shock arrow.

The moment Ganondorf tired, Impa's handwork rapidly summoned a circle of copies around him. They all raised their phantom blades. Zelda's arrow flew the moment they all rushed at Ganon, grazing the thigh of the real Impa. The jolt banished the illusion, and her knife clattered to the ground.

Ganon was tempted to swipe her ribbon in that moment, but Link was caught in crossed wood with Rusl. He had been forced to block with both hands on his sword at a moment of weak footing, while Rusl's spare hand lunged for his ribbon. Ganondorf crashed into the mentor's side.

Link stumbled back and ran in a curve towards Impa. More quick handwork, and the clones surrounded him as well. He cut through them with a spin attack. The real Impa leapt back and jumped him. Knifepoint scratched a raised shield.

With the swap of opponents, the overbearing beatdown became a stalemate. Zelda wracked her brain. If this were an actual battle and she had no qualms about killing, she could so easily pick off her enemies with a well-placed arrow, but she couldn't _murder_ her family! If only her weapon was enchanted like Impa's.

The knife Impa had dropped still lay a few feet from the scuffle. Zelda took a deep, calming breath and stretched out her hand. The knife tremored, scraping across stone and alerting Impa. Her attention broke away from penetrating Link's defence to chase the rogue knife. She threw herself along the tiles, but the hilt slipped through her fingers.

Footsteps ran at Impa. She rolled over just as Link pressed a foot onto her ribboned arm. Shield vanished as he reached for it. Impa's other hand flew into her pocket. The next second, there was a blinding flash. Link recoiled as spots filled his vision. He rubbed his eyes and stared at the ground, where there was only a shattered deku nut.

The trees rustled. Link whipped around to see Zelda darting through the canopy with Impa's knife in hand. Impa chased her, jumping and swinging from branch to branch. Whatever Zelda was planning, Link needed to buy her the time to follow through. He summoned the boomerang and hurled it. The whirlwind chased Impa down and flung her from the trees, towards Link. With a snarl, she pulled a fistful of illusion slips from her pockets and snapped her fingers.

With Link fighting off every possible attack Impa could send his way at once, Zelda hid behind a tree and copied the runes of the phantom knife onto her arrow. Without anything to write with, she resorted to using an enamel pin and her own blood. With the final stroke, she spoke the ancient Sheikah text. "Worthy opponent, hear my knife; spare the flesh but give them strife." The arrow glowed translucent and iridescent.

There was no time to enchant a second arrow. Link's sword lay on the ground, along with his shield. A dozen clones tore through him with phantom knives. He crumpled with an agonised scream. Ganondorf fought to reach Link's side, but Rusl was doing everything he could to keep him away.

As Link got up groggily, a foot forced him back down. Impa seized his wrist and looped a finger under the ribbon.

A phantom arrow pierced her heart. The scream rattled Zelda's eardrums as guilt squeezed her chest, but it was just the opening Link's shaky hand needed to snatch Impa's ribbon away. They both collapsed against the tile, grimaces on their faces.

Impa's loss severely weakened Rusl's resolve as his age caught up to him. Ganondorf was also growing weary as their wood clacked and clacked, until he felt a sudden surge of energy. With lighting speed, Ganon's sword thwacked into Rusl's side, sending him tumbling across the stone.

Rusl rolled onto his elbows. Ganondorf charged, stake hurtling towards Rusl's open mouth where it would rip out the other side covered in blood and entrails with horrified eyes staring back and-

The tip of the wood stopped just shy of Rusl's lips. He cracked a grin and held out his wrist. "You win," he said. "If that was a real battle, I'd be dead for sure."

It took Ganondorf a moment to process what had just happened, and all he could muster was a curt nod as he knelt to take the ribbon.

By then, Link and Impa's phantom pain had faded. They got up and joined the pair as Zelda floated down from the canopy. Students stood across from mentors. "Well then," said Impa, "you three exceeded all expectations." She clasped her trembling hands behind her back.

"Indeed," said Rusl. "Skill, teamwork, creativity. I don't think there's anything more we could teach you after that battle."

"Is that why you fought dirty?" Ganondorf asked. Zelda elbowed him, but Rusl smiled mournfully.

"Yes. We had to play the part of whoever wanted to stop you." Impa side-eyed him. "Would you say they're ready to continue their quest?" Rusl asked her.

She collected herself with a breath. "Yes, I suppose they are."

Impa sent the teens off to gather their things, most of which had already been packed and just needed to be stored in everyone's pocket voids. "They've never been this tough on us before," Link remarked. "Almost out of nowhere."

"Yeah, 'cause danger comes from nowhere," Ganondorf said.

"Indeed, but we pushed through." Zelda smiled. "The three of us might be capable of saving Hyrule after all."

Ganondorf perked up. "That reminds me. I thought of a team name."

"Ooh, do tell," Zelda chimed as Link nodded along.

"The Triforce Trio."

Zelda laughed. "A bit tautological, isn't it?"

Link shrugged. "I like it."

With a fond sigh, Zelda said, "Me too. I suppose the secret handshake is next on the agenda?" The three of them laughed, and it helped Ganondorf forget about whatever murderous intent captured him for a second.

He was a part of the Triforce Trio, and it was a comforting reminder that his destiny was to save the world.

Because he had no intentions of destroying it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drafting the last 800 words of this chapter was intense! I wanted it completed before NaNoWriMo but we had a power outage and we had no idea when it would end. I was racing the battery life on my laptop. Good thing I won ;)


	16. Maw of the Mountain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Triforce Trio navigate the treacherous mining facility around Death Mountain’s rim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And after seven chapters of subplots, we finally return to the main quest.
> 
> Updated 22 January 2021. Some sentences added for extra clarity.

The elevator creaked and groaned, each sound a warning of the hellscape that awaited them at the top. Strips of orange light swept over three spherical helmets with square windows, thick metal tunics, and concertina-covered joints. The bulky Goron wore no flame-breaker armour, exposing the crest of Hylia on his bulging bicep.

"Alright little guys," Daruk said. Ganondorf snorted. "Death Mountain's little tantrum has caused a lotta damage to the mine. Nearly all the rooms used to be airtight, but a lotta volcanic gas has been leakin' in. Now, how do ya seal your suit?" The Triforce Trio demonstrated what their safety instructor had taught them. "Good, and how much air does it give ya?"

"Fifteen minutes," Link and Ganondorf recalled.

"Ten under high stress activity," Zelda quipped.

Daruk grinned. "If you're lucky, ya might find some of the insulated break rooms are okay. They're extra fortified for emergencies. You could shed your armour for a bit. Have a snack." His own stomach growled so loudly that Zelda squeaked, mistaking it for a tremor. Daruk patted his belly. "Whoops. Sorry about that. I could really go for a rock roast about now."

"No worries, mate," Ganondorf said. "We'll find that nasty coin so you can feast again soon."

Daruk beamed as he gave Ganondorf a hard smack on the back that would have knocked over anyone else. "Glad to hear it."

The elevator slowly ground to a halt, rumbles shaking the entire frame. Once it settled, Daruk confirmed that the whole trio had locked their armour before he punched the button. The rusted doors creaked open to a scene swimming in heat. The air itself burned orange, as if the slightest provocation would engulf them in flame. Large metal crates lined a hall of exposed rock supported by metal shafting. At the other side was a metal shutter door.

Zelda summoned an item given to her by the safety instructor. It was a small device similar in size, shape, and composition to the slates of two decades ago, with a small blue screen displaying pixelated numbers. She took the briefest look and stored it in the pocket void, lest it overheat as she had been warned. "Clear," she said as she unlocked her armour. Link and Ganondorf did the same.

Once they filed out of the elevator, Daruk offered them an encouraging smile. "Break a boulder," he said. The doors closed, and the elevator creaked downwards, stranding them in the scorching heat.

Unlike the March sisters and the Gerudo, the Gorons had nothing to offer on the exact location of the Fire Medallion, claiming it had been lost centuries long ago. Hopefully it had not been swallowed by lava, although the possibility seemed all too likely.

A small tremor caused the crates to screech against each other. A harsh reminder that time was not on their side. "Nothing strange here," Link observed. "Let's keep going."

They entered a small airlock with a sign announcing the outdoor scene that awaited them, so they locked their armour. The doors split apart to reveal a metal bridge that jutted out from the rocky inner rim of the volcano. As steel boots clanged against the bridge, their eyes travelled the setting that wriggled and writhed in the hot hair. Link and Ganondorf couldn't help but grin, as these mines had been on their travel bucket list for the longest time, but none of the pictographs ever captured how it looked on the cusp of eruption.

Affixed in and around the rim of the volcano were several airlocks leading into tunnels or blocky metal buildings used for storage and processing, joined by more metal bridges. A particularly large and sturdy one spanned across the maw. Rails and lifts and magnetic cranes connected the levels. Some structures had been broken or bent out of shape by the tremors. The sky was a blazing red with ashy clouds rising from the expansive lake of bubbling lava. The thin coat of ash did little to hide the blinding orange glow. Zelda was so mesmerised by it that Link had to urge her forward.

Even in their armour, the intense heat felt like a viscous liquid they were drowning in. It weighed them down with each step until they reached the airlock which billowed with a tamer heat.

The next room was airtight and had piles of glowing rubble. They had the appearance of rock candy but were, well, actually rocks. These stones had been roughly cut from the volcano as they still had grey and brown bits attached, but rows of tables and the nearby floor held scattered chisels and tools, along with out-of-commission conveyer belts down the centre that lead into open metal crates.

Ganondorf peaked inside of one of them. "I still can't believe Gorons chomp on these like apples." He reached in and grabbed a green rock.

Link held out his hand with a smirk. "Give it. I wanna try it later."

Zelda stormed up to Link and planted her hands on her hips. "We are in dangerous, inhospitable conditions, and you want to break your teeth on some volcanic rocks?" Ganondorf snickered as the offending item disappeared into his void. Zelda whipped her head around. " _Please_ tell me licking weird stuff isn't a normal thing you do?"

"Not really," said Ganondorf, fishing out other colours and storing them. "But finding new ways to enjoy weird stuff is."

With a glower, she turned on her heel towards the nearest door. "Nothing strange here, aside from you idiots. Let us continue."

Link correctly deduced that such a work space would have a break room nearby. There was a small airlock but as there was no toxic gas in the main hall, both sets of doors opened for them. The lights in the room were a dim flicker, and it was a cosy fit around the table. The Gorons favoured metal crates over proper chairs, but the trio were comfortable enough to remove their helmets.

Zelda and Link's faces were bright pink from the heat, with hair sticking to their foreheads. Ganondorf faired a smidge better, having spent his early childhood by the desert, but the helmet had been pushing his rather large and clumsy man bun into the back of his head. His hair did _not_ suit confinement, so he let it down to try and sort out a more comfortable way to stuff it into the metal sphere.

Zelda couldn't help but stare a little as he combed his fingers through his locks and toyed with them. Sweet Nayru, she loved watching women play with their long hair. Brushing it. Styling it. Tossing and tucking it. It was rare to see the same thing from a man, especially one with hair that reached his lower back and was an even more vibrant red than Malon-

Ganon caught her eye and smirked. Surely her face was too pink to give away her embarrassment. She cleared her throat. "Do you need some help?" Hopefully he hadn't heard the eagerness in her voice.

He shrugged with that infernal smirk. "Sure. Know how to stuff a wild mane into a fish bowl?"

Did she, though? "Well, we could try something similar to the braid and bun I wear to school sometimes."

"Hylian vai hair?" Ganondorf shrugged. "Sure. Could you do it up for me?"

Oh. She would get to style his hair. Well, they were both sweating profusely which was _not_ flattering for either of them, but this was far more than she had dared to want. "In that case," she turned to Link. "I need all your bobby pins."

"All of them?"

" _All_ of them. I know you steal them from me."

"What if we need to pick a lock or something?"

Zelda rolled her eyes, pulled two pins out of her hair, and tossed them at Link. Sighing, Link summoned his ziplocked collection and tossed it her way. She caught it and summoned her hair brush. Link furrowed his brow. "You carry a brush around?"

"You don't?" Zelda and Ganondorf said, aghast.

Link waved his arms. "Nope. Nope. You don't get to call me the weird one."

Braiding and twisting Ganondorf's thick hair while they were both sweaty was a challenge, as Zelda's fingers couldn't glide through easily. Now it had her brainstorming excuses to touch his hair again in more desirable conditions. After 10 minutes of Link and Ganondorf chatting about all the sites they hoped to see on their mission, Zelda succeeded in wrestling Ganon's hair into a passable recreation of one of her favourite hairstyles. The thick braid ran over the crown, and the bun was set higher than Zelda's would but was at least a third less than it was before.

Ganondorf checked his reflection in his slate's camera and grimaced. It wasn't supposed to look good, he reminded himself. "You don't like it?" Zelda asked.

He shrugged. "Bit feminine for me." After putting his helmet back on, he sighed contently. "Ah, that's way better. Thanks, Zel." He meant it too. That girl was a trove of nifty solutions.

She smiled shyly as she slipped on her own helmet. "You're welcome."

Through the mine, they continued, finding more rooms and structures with not a single sign that could point to the Fire Medallion.

They encountered a bridge with screws pulling loose from the rock and scaffolding. Zelda hovered across and stationed herself on the sturdier platform opposite the boys. She held her hands out, ready to extend her magic should something happen. Link gingerly set his boot onto the bridge, and it creaked beneath him. He sucked in a breath and shuffled across, though not too slowly as they had to be mindful of air supply. Just as he approached the end, the first major tremor hit. Zelda stumbled about, arms flailing. The bridge slanted, and Link slid. He seized the upper edge, but the tremors did not cease. He shimmied his fingers along the rim as the hinges squeaked and groaned, inching him closer towards the lava lake storeys below. Gold light encased his figure and flung him onto the platform.

The tremors stopped. Zelda scrambled towards Link and threw her arms around him. He received her eagerly, but only briefly, as Ganondorf had yet to make it across. Zelda opted to hold onto some nearby scaffolding lest she lose footing at such a crucial moment again.

Ganondorf walked back a little and posed for a running start, bouncing back and forth on his ankles as he hyped himself up. He met Zelda's gaze, and then he charged.

The bridge sank beneath his weight, but he kept running along the edge. Screws fell behind him as the structure peeled away. Link's outstretched arm was in reach. The last attachment snapped. Ganon threw himself towards his best friend. Fingertips grazed. He plummeted.

The golden light caught him as another tremor hit, but it flickered as Zelda struggled to draw him to safety. His upper body smacked against the platform with a loud clang. The tremor settled, and Link crawled over to heave him up. Ganondorf glanced over his shoulder as the last sliver of bridge sink into the lava.

They had spent an estimated five minutes trying to cross that goddess-damn bridge, and the airlock just _had_ to be broken. Zelda's gas reader deemed it too unsafe to unlock their suits just yet. The room beyond served as a space to dump raw minerals from the mines themselves. Three tunnels with rails wove through. Only one had a minecart present. If it was used for evacuation, then it led somewhere.

Link gave Zelda a boost and clambered into the cart after her. He tested the engine, but it let out a pathetic sputter of smoke. If time was on their side, Link would've tinkered with it. Instead, Ganondorf pushed them along, wheels screeching against the metal, until they gained momentum. He jumped into the cart, summoned the Gale Boomerang, and used that to propel them further along the rickety path.

Link and Zelda held their bows at the ready. Around the bend, a dozen torch slugs hung from the ceiling. Zelda shot down seven, while four fell to Link. A dent in the rail jolted the cart as he let a fifth arrow fly. Miss. The slug dropped onto his head and slid down his back, leaving a trail of heated metal. Link stumbled forward with a hiss, right into Zelda. She stored her bow just before it slipped from her fingers.

Ganondorf skewered the slug with both scimitars and threw it off the edge. Link pressed his hands against the front of his helmet and tunic to keep the scorching metal away from his flesh.

The cart slipped into an automated elevator and stopped with a rough jolt that caused Link to feel the singe of metal again. The metal wire creaked as it hauled them up on a sideways slant.

They felt the thinness of the air now, having to take longer, deeper breaths just to have enough oxygen to stay present. When the lift stopped and the rails connected, Ganondorf propelled them out with a lumbering sweep of the boomerang. The cart carried them onto a rocky ledge with exposed glowing minerals and a large, fortified metal cube set into the side. _Please be intact,_ Zelda prayed as she clambered out.

Ganondorf dug his hands under Link's arms to lift him out. With the pain from the metal increasing Link's heartrate, his oxygen was the most depleted. His sprint was too heavy to match that of his friends. The destination phased in and out of view. Blackness. On his knees. Blackness. Someone crying out. Blackness. Fire on his back. Blackness. An arm dragging him by the wrist. Blackness.

Someone removed his helmet. Air gushed into his lungs and it was sweeter than anything he had tasted before. A large pair of hands slipped the red-hot tunic over his head, followed by his sweat-soaked shirt. Someone poured blissfully cool water over his head and back. The rest of the bottle hovered before his face. He seized it and gulped the contents down.

" _I reckon he's okay."_ Link's sight and hearing faded back into his consciousness. _"He's pretty hardy."_

"He almost _suffocated!"_ Zelda exclaimed.

"Nah, I'm okay," Link said, still catching his breath.

"Be that as it may, we need to treat your burns." She summoned the necessary lotion. A few of his lower hairs had curled and become brittle, and his back was red and peeling a little, but nothing severe. Just a proximity burn. Link hissed when she pressed her lotioned hands onto his back, and he tightly hugged his knees to his chest as Zelda tended to him like she had many times before.

With Link bandaged up, Zelda glugged down her own bottle of chilled water. One of the many advantages of having a pocket void was that the trio could carry around plenty of fluids. Another was that the objects were always in stasis, so the bottles exited the void as cool as they had entered.

As the trio munched on Zelda's homemade boxed lunches (of which she had gone a bit overboard in the presentation department), another tremor struck. The distant boom of boulders froze them in place, but it passed a few moments later. "Gods-damn it! Whose bloody idea was it to build a mine in a volcano?" snarled Ganondorf.

"Well, the most nutrient heavy rocks exist here, so the Gorons were right to jump on the opportunity while Death Mountain was dormant," said Zelda. "It's a shame our little sword retrieval had such an unfortunate side effect."

"You think it's our fault?" asked Link.

"Goodness, no! We were simply following the Goddesses' bidding, and because of Midna and Impa, we know magic has been leaking into Hyrule long before then."

"Not to mention that fucking cult," Ganondorf added. "Ghirahim and his cronies better not annoy us here too, or I might not be as kind as I was last time."

"I doubt he'd want to be in this place," Zelda said, combing back her hair in a parody of the demon. "Farore forbid the heat makes his hair frizz!"

They all chuckled, and it was a nice break from the constant mortal peril they were all in. Link wanted to keep it up. "Hey, Ganon. Let's try those rocks."

Ganondorf's face broke into a grin as he summoned four different rocks onto the table. Zelda pursed her lips as Link reached for the green one. "Looks like sour apple," he remarked.

"I seriously doubt it would actually taste like that," said Zelda.

Link shrugged. "Never said it would." He brought it up to his mouth, but considering the fact that it was a _rock,_ he couldn't bite off a piece. More so gnaw awkwardly.

Ganondorf snickered and reached for a dark purple one. "Blackcurrant," he declared, and then he too gnawed on the rock.

Zelda huffed and shook her head. "They probably don't taste like anything to you."

"Nah, they have a pretty earthy flavour," Link said.

"A crunchy texture as well," Ganondorf added. "And is that-" he licked the rock, "-notes of spice, or is it just hot in here?" Zelda slumped across the table with a groan. Ganondorf tossed the red one her way. "Go on, give wildberry a try."

"Think you mean _paprika,_ " Link teased.

"Urgh. If I give it one tiny lick, will you let me toss those infernal rocks into the lava?" Link and Ganondorf nodded eagerly. "Fine." She snatched up the rock, gave it the lightest lick, and was thrown into a coughing fit. "It's spicy!" she wheezed. "Why is it spicy?" The boys slapped the table as they laughed, though Link was quick to offer water.

Ganondorf reached for the "orange-flavoured" rock and examined it. It was rather jagged compared to the rest. _Perfect for smashing through their skulls._ The thought slapped him so hard that he dropped the rock. The moment it clattered against the metal floor, another tremor hit, jostling the chairs and people within. Heavy rocks pounded against the metal outside. Zelda's nails dug into Link's arm, eyes fixed on the expanding dents in the roof.

It all stopped. Everything was silent, aside from a hissing noise that wasn't there before. Everyone scrambled around for their armour and pulled it on. They sealed it and gathered their belongings into their pocket voids.

The rockslides from before had done noticeable damage to the sealed rooms they had passed through, as well as many of the bridges and lifts, but they had no time to question how they would make it out once the mission had been completed, if they could get that far.

"Down there." Link pointed to a building set lower than their ledge which had a seemingly intact elevator shaft rising to the volcano-spanning bridge. There was no path to connect here and there. "Zel, think you can use the mine cart to carry us down?"

The cart in question was lying on its side, dented and several feet away from the rail it had been set on. "I-I think so," she said. The boys hauled the cart to the edge and this time Ganondorf helped Zelda inside. It was an awkward fit for the trio as the sides of the cart had been smashed by a boulder at some point. Zelda's hands hovered outwards as she summoned her magic. The cart flickered gold and rose half-a-metre into the air. Good, she just needed to maintain control over this heavy load for several metres over a wide pit of lava…

The cart smashed back down and rolled them towards the ledge. Zelda seized up until it stopped just shy. A pebble fell into the lava. What was she thinking, agreeing to endanger her friends like this? "You were right, Link," she said, voice quivering. "This is too dangerous. Oh gods, I almost killed us."

"But you didn't," Link said. "We're fine."

"Not helping!" she snapped.

"Oh. Right."

Ganondorf reached over Link's shoulder to place a comforting hand on Zelda's. "You have done incredible things since we got here, Zel. You saved Link and I from that deadly bridge, fixed my hair problem, and took down seven slugs in half a minute."

"You did a pretty good job treating my burns too," Link said. "If it were just Ganon and I today, we'd be doomed."

Zelda looked over her shoulder at the two most important boys in her life beaming at her. She took a deep breath of her limited air, and _only_ because she needed it. "Okay." Again, she faced her destination, held out her arms, and concentrated. Right now, it did not matter how "talented" she was with her magic. If it had to carry the Triforce Trio safely across, then it would not fail her, such was the lie she told herself.

The cart glowed gold and slowly descended. Molten rock bubbled and hissed, goading Zelda to give into her deadly doubts. She wouldn't. She _couldn't._ It helped to keep her eyes on the destination, rather than the horrid liquid boiling below. The smashed-up wheels gently settled onto the metal with a groan, and the golden glow faded. Zelda glanced over her shoulder to where they were before, then back to where they were now. "I did it," she muttered. "I did it!" She clapped happily. Link stilled her hands.

"Conserve air, remember?" It was noticeably thinner for each of them.

"Oh, right."

The airlock entrance was mercifully intact and clean of toxic gas, allowing the trio to refresh their air supply. Their glee was short-lived once they saw what lay in the room ahead.

Bombs. Cases of bombs strewn about the room. Most of them were tightly sealed, but one had been busted open during a tremor. The square case labelled _WARNING: EXPLOSIVES. DO NOT OPEN WITHOUT AUTHORISATION_ lay on its side as the black balls with unlit wicks spilled towards them.

As if the looming risk of another tremor wasn't enough _,_ something crept from behind the open crate. It had green scales, a horn atop its head, two legs, and a glowing orange tale. Of all the places to possibly encounter a volatile, fire-breathing dodongo, why did it have to be _here?_

"Reckon we can sneak around it?" Ganondorf whispered to the group.

"No need." Zelda drew her bow. "The tail is the weak spot, right?"

Link's eyes widened. "Yes, but-" The arrow flew, skewering right through the base of the tail. The creature let out a dying screech and collapsed.

It flashed red.

Link and Ganon dashed forward, pushing crates over the entrance where Zelda stood frozen. How stupid she was to forget.

The dodongo exploded, and it set off a chain reaction. Link ducked behind the box he had pushed over half the entrance and pulled Zelda down with him. Ganondorf kept pushing. "Get down here!" Link ordered, but Ganon refused to shelter just yet. The boxes connected just as plumes of fire gushed over the twins heads. A pained yell was abruptly cut by a loud metal clang. The flames wisped into nothing, but to Link and Zelda it felt like an eternity as their breath heaved and their hearts hammered and their gloves dug into the metal of each other's arms.

Link was the first to peak over the barrier at the wrecked warehouse. The crates had been rearranged but remained intact. Bits of floor had been blown off, and parts of the ceiling rained down. On the left, a stream of blood disappeared behind the edge of the crate. A helmet lay several feet away. Had a mistake, just one mistake, cost them a member of their party?

Link propped up a leg to haul himself over the crate, but Zelda grabbed his forearm.

And showed him the gas reading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it! The first chapter I drafted during NaNoWriMo. Well, part of it. I divided it later on which is why I'm teasing you with yet another cliffhanger.


	17. Ten Minute Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As if Ganondorf's wounds aren't bad enough, Ghirahim unleashes another monster onto our trio, and they only have ten minutes to defeat it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter is short and I'm tempted to apologise for it but apparently fic writers shouldn't do that so instead I'm gonna gas it up and tell you to appreciate how tightly written it is, you plebeians! (jk you're all entitled to your opinions)
> 
> Also let's all agree that our disaster biromantic Zelda Harkinian would simp for every redhead in this story and the only reason why she "doesn't" is because they declare themselves her nemesis half the time.

Ghirahim drew a long breath. The toxic air tasted of ash and fire. It was as sweet to him as the crisp morning air was to the mortals he scorned. When his master finally realises his destiny, all of Hyrule would breath this wonderous air, and they would either die or love it as any loyal servant should.

He paced along the main bridge and stopped in the middle. The orange glow was a gorgeous sight that danced in his eyes. There was only one ingredient that could possibly make this setting any more beautiful.

With a snap of his fingers, the vial appeared. "You've been dormant far too long, haven't you?" The lava bubbled in response. "I could wake you." Ghirahim popped off the cork and swirled the pudgy liquid within. The lava bubbled eagerly in response. "But it comes with a price." Hesitant gurgling. "Will you slay those pesky twins for me?" Eager bubbles popped. "And will you bring me Ganondorf Dragmire alive?" The lake hissed and popped with gusto.

Ghirahim tipped the vial. The malice slipped free and dripped several storeys until it splashed into the lava. Magenta snaked through the orange like veins. The lake rolled like boiling water. Something shifted beneath the surface, and a guttural roar shook the mountain.

* * *

The first thing Ganondorf noted as consciousness swam back was pain. The back of his skull throbbed. He had a pounding headache. His throat burned like he had just inhaled fire and there was an irritating tickle that almost tempted him to cough. And he would have, if he hadn't become aware of the second thing. Zelda's hand holding his own.

He smirked weakly and gave it a light squeeze. Zelda squeaked and withdrew. "I-I was just checking your pulse!"

He chuckled dryly. "Pretty sure it's fine now." Though it elicited a grunt of pain, Ganondorf propped himself onto his elbows. Zelda was kneeling beside him, helmet off in the darkened room. White-knuckled fists shook in her lap. Head bowed. Lip quivering. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry," she choked. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I really didn't."

 _Yes, she did,_ the voice said.

Slowly, the events that transpired came back to him. His helmet was blown off, and he was thrown against a wall by clouds of fire. The fact that he was alive and felt like he had taken nothing more than a harsh beating was starting to make less sense. "What happened after the explosion?" he asked.

Her breath became rapid and shallow. "We… we…"

Ganondorf placed a hand over hers. "Look, Zel. You fucked up, but I'm not bitter about it."

 _"You should be,"_ Zelda and the voice said at once.

"Don't tell me what to do."

She reluctantly giggled. "Okay, Mighty Ganondorf," she relented. "After the explosion that _totally_ wasn't my fault in _any way,_ we found you slumped against the wall in horrid shape _._ The only relief was that you hadn't been blown to pieces."

"That would've been embarrassing."

"Yes, well, you were unconscious without a helmet, but the Triforce was glowing on the back of your glove. We think it protected you from the worst of it. Anyway, the airtight seal had been broken and the gas was leaking in. We tried to seal your suit but it was too damaged. Our only option was to pray that the next room was insulated. Thank the goddesses it was, and it had just the welding tools Link needed to fix your armour."

In the corner of the room was where said armour lay. "Where's Link?" Ganondorf asked.

"Scavenging the bombed room. The dodongo was out of place, so Link wanted to see if the Fire Medallion is around." As if on cue, the airlock opened to reveal Link in his full armour, carrying an armful of metal wire and… "Oh, for Din's sake!" Zelda snapped. "Haven't we had enough of bombs?"

"They could be useful," Link said as they disappeared into his void. His eyes fell on Ganondorf's hand, still on Zelda's. "Did I interrupt anything?"

"Just a catch up," Ganondorf said, removing his hand to run it over his face. Scabbing cuts. Lotioned burns. Adhesive bandages. "Can anyone lend a camera?" He wasn't quite up to summoning his own. Link handed his slate over, selfie camera activated, while Zelda used hers as a torch on Ganondorf's face. He grimaced as soon as he saw. Bruises and blisters and dried blood. "I look like shit."

Zelda gasped. "Don't say that!"

"No, he's right." Link crouched down. "You'll grow into them, Ganon." He patted his friend's shoulder.

"I bloody well hope so," Ganondorf said, examining his face from all angles. "What's the point of all this if I don't come out of it with some sexy battle scars?"

Zelda burst into a fit of laughter, one that dragged on a bit too long. "I'm sorry," she said. "Your enthusiasm is quite admirable, and the complete opposite of how I'd react."

Ganondorf cocked his head. "She has a five-step skin care routine," Link clarified.

" _Five?!"_

"Naturally. If the roles were reversed, I would be having a panic attack right now," Zelda said. "You're _much_ braver than me."

Ganon's chest swelled. "Well, I'm glad my heroic sacrifice saved your flawless skin," he said. "Though if you got a few scars, I'd find you wildly attractive." Zelda playfully swatted him as she laughed, and as it died down, their stares lingered.

Link cleared his throat. "What now?" The mountain shook in response. The most violent tremor that day. Zelda's slate flew from her hand as she was tossed over Ganondorf's chest. He threw his arms around her, his body an anchor. Link pressed his back against the nearest wall.

It died down, along with what Link could have sworn was a roar. Zelda clung to Ganondorf as she mumbled. "Oh no no no no no we're going to die we are all going to die oh no no no no no."

"We don't have much time left," Link said, choosing not to acknowledge the odd predicament his fellow party members were in. "We have to get going."

"Easy there, Link." Ganondorf ran a hand up and down Zelda's back. "She needs time to calm down."

Link chuckled. "Why? So you can snuggle her for longer?"

Zelda sprung up, eyes bulging. "None of this ever happened!"

"Right. There definitely wasn't an earthquake right now," Link said.

"You have been cordially invited to _target practise._ "

"You think that's supposed to scare me? I can think of nothing safer than you of all people shooting an apple off my head."

Zelda opened her mouth but found herself without a suitable come back. She sighed. "Okay, maybe I do need some time to calm down. In my _personal space._ " Of all the things that could have followed in that moment, it just _had_ to be long talons tearing into the metal right above her head. She screamed and ducked as a wave of heat from the outside rushed in.

"Armour. _Now!_ " Link ordered, donning his own helmet and turning on the seal. Zelda hyperventilated as she fumbled around for hers. Ganondorf shoved it over her head and sealed the armour for her. His was already on.

A reptilian eye peeked through the tear and locked onto Zelda and Ganondorf. It moved away. Zelda released a breath. Then the tearing continued.

They scrambled to the exit and slipped through just as the creature tore off the roof completely. From the airlock, there were muffled sniffing noises followed by a growl. Seconds later, a talon tore through the roof above them. They slipped through to the next room. An elevator. One that led to the exposed bridge. Link punched the button to reach the top level. Halfway up, the elevator shook. Again. And again. Something was ramming into it. The pulley whirred as it strained to pull them _just a little bit higher._

The booms stopped. Ganondorf shoved the twins behind him and charged up a lightning attack. The doors squeaked open, and the face of a giant lizard greeted them with a roar. Ganondorf threw his attack. Its head snapped back with a shriek. They ran onto the bridge, towards the opposite elevator that would lead to their escape. In Link's periphery, two helicopters circled the summit.

Something heavy landed onto the bridge behind them. Link and Ganon dared not look back. Zelda did. She shrieked a warning and thrust out her hands, conjuring a light shield just long enough to repel the river of fire thrown their way.

The other two whirled around as the dragon rose to its full height and spread its wingspan. Orange glowed through the gaps between obsidian scales. The belly and inner wings were a burnt orange that glowed as it inhaled, and the shadows of its fleshy red mouth danced as if there was a fire within. Zelda thrust out her hands again, willing the shield to manifest once more. But. It. Just. _Wouldn't._

Link charged past Zelda, sword and shield materialising. Ganondorf seized her wrist and tugged her towards the other side of the bridge. She tore away. "We can't leave him!"

"He's buying us time," Ganon shot back. Of course. The boys knew each other so well that they could telegraph exactly what the other would do. And Zelda couldn't have the same trust in them, and they couldn't have the same trust in her and-

The dragon wailed. A severed talon spun into the lava. Link flicked the blood off his blade and stood firm. His shield glowed as if it had been heated by the forge. If he wore green rather than the bulky armour, neither Zelda nor Ganondorf would've been able to picture an image truer to the chosen heroes of legend.

As if to solidify it, the dragon flapped its wings and retreated. Link stored his weapons and ran. Ganondorf spammed the button to the elevator. Nothing answered aside from a few pathetic groans. Something moved in the edge of Zelda's vision. Something gliding towards Link. Before she could cry out, Link skid to a halt and sprinted in the opposite direction. The dragon smashed through the bridge, shaking the foundation. Zelda and Ganondorf pressed their backs against the elevator doors as the floor dipped beneath their feet.

Metal rained into the lake with sickening hisses. Through the writhing air, Link clung with one hand to the destroyed railing, dangling above the lava. The dragon landed heavily on that side, and the bridge tilted further. The creature inhaled. Zelda and Ganondorf charged. A bow materialised and electricity crackled. An arrow hit the slit of the golden eye, while a thunder ball forced the dragon to jerk back and belch the flames prematurely.

It shook its head, locked onto the assailants, and flapped its wings. "How are we going to kill that thing?" Zelda snapped. The lake belched more toxic gas. "In _ten minutes?!"_

He charged up another attack. "You'll think of something." Oh right. She was supposed to be the _wise_ one with _all_ the answers. Of course she'd know how to kill a goddess-damn dragon! With a frustrated huff, she summoned an ice arrow and aimed for the dragon as it looped towards them.

Ganondorf launched his attack, but the dragon decimated it with a fireball. The smoke blew back on them, obscuring its approach until a tale thwacked Zelda off her feet. She tumbled off the edge with a scream. When the scorching lava grazed her back, she caught herself in gold light. She drifted towards Ganondorf's outstretched hand, but the dragon sailed towards her, toothy mouth wide open. Something exploded against the side of its head. Ganondorf pulled Zelda up as Link loaded another make-shift bomb arrow onto his crossbow.

It all clicked into place. "Ganon, I have a plan."

More explosions bruised the dragon's hide, buying Zelda and Ganondorf just enough time for the exchange. They ran towards the destroyed edge of the bridge and wrapped a hand around the other's wrist. Ganon spun Zelda's body round and round until he let go. She soared across the gap, biting her lip and concentrating as she began to fall. Gold light carried her the final few metres and dumped her on the metal. Link stored his bow to help her up. By now, she was noticeably more breathless and so was Link. They had minutes left and not a second to spare.

Another thunder ball drew the dragon's attention back to Ganondorf. He tossed attack after attack. Zelda produced the gale boomerang and handed it to Link. "Here's what we need to do."

Ganondorf found it rather odd that the dragon didn't breathe fire at him or try to knock him into the lava. Instead it roared menacingly, flicked its tail just shy of him, or flapped its wings hard, pushing him back up the bridge with a gust. The moment its head even twitched towards the twins, another crackling ball hurtled towards it. As tempted as Ganon was to double over panting, to clutch his pounding headache, he fought to stay tall.

"Ready!" Zelda shouted. The dragon whipped around, and as the tail swiped over Ganondorf's head, he leapt up and pinned it onto the bridge with a scimitar. The dragon screeched and tried to flap itself free, but Ganondorf channelled the power of the Triforce into keeping it pinned down with his hands pressing hard on the hilt.

On the other side of the bridge, Zelda fired. The arrow lodged itself in the dragon's neck, a mere needle, but from the shaft dangled a string of bombs tied together by wire. Link reeled back and threw the boomerang as hard as he could. The gale picked up the string and looped it around the dragon's neck. Zelda's bow pinged again. A fire arrow punctured one of the bombs and set off a chain reaction. Bits and blood rained.

The dragon let out a shredded, enraged roar. It still had a head. It wasn't supposed to still have a head! The hide was far thicker than Zelda had anticipated.

But now it was fleshy and _exposed._

Link summoned the sword and did something that made Zelda's heart leap to her throat. He jumped off the edge. At the peak of his arc, it clicked. Zelda encased him in golden light. The dragon reeled back, mouth glowing with its final breath. A battle cry. Steel cleaved head from body.

Link narrowly avoided the splashback as Zelda's magic yanked him away. He tumbled across the bridge.

The lake gurgled as it swallowed the dragon, but something red glowed from below. Zelda collapsed to her knees and summoned every scrap of strength she had left, stretching her fingers as far as she could. The red twinkle rose towards her. Beyond her swimming vision was a red coin. The Fire Medallion. It dispersed into her void.

Relief. That was what she should be feeling, right? But Zelda and her companions were tired and out of breath. They had neither the air nor the strength to escape this cursed mountain. Her helmet chinked against the bridge, and the buzz of two descending choppers faded into silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three medallions down in just a month! They're really speed-running this quest. Which one do you think they'll go after next?


	18. Caught on Camera

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf are outed as chosen heroes on live television.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *examines the magic masquerade trope* Hmm... No way three teens can keep this up. *tosses it out the window*
> 
> Updated 6 February 2021. Minor typo fixed.

The muffled sound of a chopper drew Link towards consciousness. He opened his eyes to find the face of a Hylian woman hovering inches away from his. With a jolt, he found himself restrained in some chair. He grasped the _thing_ that was trapping him and clawed at it.

"Haven't encountered a seatbelt before?" she asked.

As the initial burst of adrenaline faded, Link realised that he was indeed strapped into a seat. A helicopter seat. To his right slept Zelda, notably without her helmet. Link's had also been removed, and he was able to breathe freely for the first time in hours, even though his no-longer oxygen-deprived brain still throbbed a little. The woman on his left had brown hair and honey-coloured eyes, and she too wore flame-breaker armour without her helmet. "Sorry, who are you?" he asked.

"Traysi Bourgette. Live correspondent for Hyrule Highlights, the top news network in the country!" she declared. "I think the more interesting question is who _you_ are."

Link changed his mind. He was indeed trapped. "Sorry, haven't heard of you," he lied. "I get most of my news online."

"Our articles and videos get shared around social media all the time," she said. "And I think we just got our most viral story yet."

Oh goddesses, no. They were supposed to keep magic a _secret_. They were supposed to keep the _quest_ a secret. "Why am I here?" Link asked.

"Taking you to hospital of course. Unfortunately your friend got picked up by our rival network, _Channel Prophet._ " Traysi said the name like it was acid on her tongue. "But never mind that now. Saving lives is more important. You'll need some patching up after slaying a real-life dragon."

They knew. _They knew!_ "Thanks…" Link said. "Uh, did you film it?"

"Yep! The whole thing."

Gods-damn it all! "Can I ask you to not air it?"

Her face fell into one of complete bewilderment. "Well, even though Hyrule Highlights greatly values ethical journalism, I'm afraid we can't do that. You see, we were reporting on the Death Mountain situation when the dragon appeared. Your battle was broadcasted live to the nation! I got a delightful message from our producer saying our ratings are the highest they've ever been."

The whole of Hyrule had been watching as Link dangled over a pit of lava, missed a few shots on the dragon, and put so much effort into not being killed by it only to almost die of suffocation anyway. All his mistakes would be picked apart by the world, and any who chose to pay attention to his achievements would drag him onto some tall, precarious pedestal. There was no winning here. No option for obscurity. Or was there? "Report what you like," Link said irritably. "Just don't reveal our identities."

Traysi let out a pained hiss. "That might be a bit tricky, Mr Harkinian." Link jolted upright, and his glare demanded to know how she knew his name. She smiled sweetly. "A few weeks ago, two Hylians and a Gerudo voe took down a molduking before a cheering crowd. Every network has been kicking themselves for not catching it on tape. Highlights did some digging while Prophet copied our homework. We found out about you and Mr Dragmire. Councilwoman Makeela personally requested that we not publish anything about her illicit race and shut down further investigation. We never unmasked Sheik until tonight, who we are delighted to learn is your twin sister, Zelda Harkinian."

"Could you keep _her_ identity a secret?"

"We're not the only chopper looking to catch a glimpse of our new heroes," Traysi said. "Even if I convinced Highlights to lay off her, Prophet would still be on the prowl."

"There has to be a way."

She squinted at him. "I thought strapping young teens such as yourself would want to be known as monster slayers?"

Midna's face surfaced in Link's mind, but he shook it away. "I'm not a fan of the attention."

"Then why hunt down monsters?" Her fingers hovered over the keyboard of her tablet. With a tight jaw, Link turned away.

As they passed over the lights of the central business district, the tips of Hyrule Castle's tallest turrets were visible just beyond the skyscrapers, as if caged in. He empathised as Traysi continued to bombard him with questions. _Do you bear the Triforce of Courage? Was that the real Master Sword you wielded? For what purpose have you been chosen to protect Hyrule? Why is the magic returning?_ After a while, she finally died down, but the quiet was followed by aggressive typing. When Link was certain she was hunched over her tablet rather than spying on him, he stole a glimpse of her notes.

_Suspiciously tight-lipped. Possibly in cahoots with the villains?_

_Won't confirm or deny anything regarding chosenness. False hero?_

_Is monster slaying a form of illegal trophy hunting?_

_Evidence still strongly suggests he is the saviour of our people, but what is he saving us from that the army or police can't take care of?_

Link really was forced to give in, wasn't he? If Captain Ozul got a hold of those notes…

Zelda stirred beside him, eyes fluttering open. "Where are we?" she muttered.

"Hyrule Highlights chopper," Link said. "They're taking us to hospital."

"Oh." The situation dawned on Zelda as well. "And Ganon?"

"Dealing with the _rudest_ reporters you'd ever meet." Traysi reached a hand over to Zelda. "Traysi Bourgette here. Lovely to meet the not-so-mysterious Sheik. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

Zelda tentatively shook Traysi's hand as she swallowed down the shock of losing her secret identity. "What would you like to ask, Ms Bourgette?" Link shot her a look.

"First of all, what were three magic-wielding high school students fighting a dragon for?"

Zelda could do it. If anyone knew how to shut down the conversation, it was her. "We were on a confidential mission to help mining operations resume as soon as possible," she said matter-of-factly. "I'm afraid we're under an NDA on the matter. If you would like to know more, please ask Head of Mining Operations, Daruk Nicolson. He may also vouch for our character."

Traysi pouted. "Fine, but you're robbing Hyrule of quite the scoop."

The helicopters descended onto the landing pads of the hospital. Link and Zelda chose to put on their helmets (which had been stored under their seats) before they dragged themselves outside. Two more helicopters circled above.

The medical staff swarmed them, asking them if they were okay to walk. A stretcher rolled past the twins towards the second helicopter, along with a flurry of even more staff. Before Link or Zelda could see whatever state Ganondorf emerged in, they were ushered through the halls and into separate wards.

A doctor examined the burns on Link's back. "How long since it was inflicted?"

Link tore away the drink bottle he had been glugging and wiped his mouth on his forearm. "A few hours."

The doctor furrowed his brow and scribbled something down. "Are you aware its already had a day's worth of healing?"

Link shrugged. "Hurts less than it should, I guess." His gloves had been removed, exposing the faintly glowing Triforce of Courage, but the doctor didn't comment on it. After a few tests, the doctor deemed any suffocation or gas inhalation effects very minor. "Here's a painkiller for your headache," he said. "Be sure to get plenty of fresh air and keep gently rubbing the ointment on your burns." Link nodded as he pocketed the items.

A nurse poked their head into the office. "Ms Harkinian is ready for discharge," they said. "Would you like to wait with her, Mr Harkinian?"

"Yeah. Did you call my guardian?"

"She'll arrive within the next half hour."

"Cool." Link slipped his shirt on. "Could Zelda and I check on Ganon?"

"I'm afraid his care is a bit more intensive. He needs rest."

Link's face dropped. "Please? He's my best mate."

"And we'll do what we can to bring him a speedy recovery."

With a frown, Link stood and made to follow the nurse. "Just a sec," the doctor called. "What about your armour."

Link was too drained to care about anything other than the fact that he did _not_ want to lug around a heavy armour set, so he strode up to the metal clothing stacked in the corner and stored it in his void with a single touch. The doctor's pen clattered to the floor. Link stretched his arms and yawned as he turned to the slack-jawed nurse. "Shall we go?"

A few corners later, they reached Zelda's ward. She threw her arms around Link's neck (mindful of his back) and he returned the embrace. "Impa's giving Urbosa a ride to the hospital, so she'll be a little longer than expected," she said. "Any news on Ganon?"

Link shook his head, anxiety rolling in his gut. "They said he needs more attention."

"Oh." Her eyes brimmed with tears. "I'm an idiot. Such an idiot. I shouldn't have fired that arrow."

"It's fine, Zel. I mean it," Link said. "I should've warned you sooner."

"Don't you go blaming yourself for this!"

"Same goes for you, Little Ms Hypocritical."

They continued to banter for a bit, if only to lift each other's spirits a little, until a nurse popped their head into the ward. "Your guardian has arrived." They all-but-sprinted into the hall, despite their aching muscles, eager for the privacy of their home with no circling helicopters or nosy reporters and the like. Patients and staff stared at them as if they were poes flying by. Link shoved his hands in his pockets while Zelda covered the Triforce and held it close to her chest.

From down the hall, there was a commotion at the reception. "For Din's sake, just let me see him!"

"I'm sorry, Councilwoman Makeela. Only parents or legal guardians may visit Mr Dragmire."

"I'm as good as. I did _not_ fight for the Gerudo's own Children of State initiative so you could turn me away."

"We have not heard of that law."

"Oh, it's definitely the law. I _wrote_ that law, and I was there when it was passed _several years ago_."

Link and Zelda entered the reception hall to find Urbosa fuming over the counter at a meek Rito receptionist. Impa stood a short distance behind her, solemn face brightening when she saw the twins. She opened her arms, and Zelda trotted into them, and Link didn't hesitate as much as he usually did. It was nice to be greeted by a parental figure after such a harrowing day.

When they parted, Urbosa addressed them. Her ear was pressed to her slate, which played the hold music of Mayor Nohanson's office. "How's Ganon?"

Zelda bit her lip and turned away, so Link spoke up instead. "There was a close call in the mines. He's pretty beaten up, but I reckon he'll recover."

Urbosa nodded. "Once I've bullied my way into his ward, I'll give you an update." Link nodded his thanks and moved to leave.

"One more thing," Urbosa said. "I'll do my best to keep the press from nosing about too much. The police as well, but please don't give them a reason to think you're up to something if you can help it."

"I know. I'll be smart."

She smiled. "You've been a great ally to our causes, Link, but Ganon's told me all about the awkward rivalry it's caused with a particular officer." Link smiled sheepishly as he rubbed his neck. Urbosa's chuckle stopped abruptly as her slate cut from the hold music to the chipper voice of Navi, Nohanson's secretary. Impa urged the twins towards the exit.

The drive home was a solemn silence. Link and Zelda opted to sit in the back together, so they could give the other's foot a reassuring nudge every now and then. Every time one of their slates buzzed, they snatched it up, only to slump back in disappointment. All their contacts were messaging them about the battle caught live. All except for Ganondorf and Urbosa.

Link's slate dinged with a tone set for one person only. It wasn't Ganondorf, but it was someone who made his heart ping. His screen lit up with Midna's name. She had sent a gif of a red-faced Bowser stomping his foot as steam came out of his ears. _News was playing in the background over dinner. This was Dad's reaction. He had to get a new plate because he was sawing through his steak so hard._ Link snorted and sent a laughing emoji.

 _Btw,_ she texted, _is it too late to get an extension on the assignment? I wouldn't blame you if you can't finish it._

 _Dw I got discharged tonight. See you tomorrow,_ he typed, then he added an emoji and hit send.

Oh. That was _not_ a generic smiley face. He frantically typed a follow up. _Aah I didn't mean to send a heart lol._

The three dots in the speech bubble appeared, then disappeared, then reappeared, and disappeared again. He had messed up. Made her uncomfortable. Their friendship was already forbidden enough. Never trust him to message when tired ever again!

She responded. _Oh I don't mind ;)_

Well, things had just become delightfully and annoyingly ambiguous. The police captain's daughter, and Zelda's rival, had just flirted with him, and now he felt the overwhelming urge to flirt back. One look at Zelda forced it down. She always came first.

On the other end of the line, Midna knew it too. After her last text, she had thrown her slate against her bed and buried her face in her pillows with a muffled squeal. It dinged with a tone reserved just for Link. She reached for her slate, knowing that she would be unhappy with whatever he said.

_Can't talk. Too tired._

She was a fool to even hope for anything different.

* * *

The blissfully cool shower water ran over Link's body, washing away blood and the copious stink of sweat. After spending a day drowning in the sweltering heat, Link was eager to drag Ganondorf on a camping trip to Snowpeak as soon as their quest was over.

His slate rested on the bathroom sink. Silent. Still. No update from Urbosa.

Link had every confidence that Ganon was going to make it through, but he had the nagging fear that his best friend wasn't going to just heal back into the person he was before. Close calls never failed to change people, even though Link often tried to convince himself that he was the exception. The weeks ahead of Link were going to be lonely as his best friend rested in the hospital and then in Gerudo Town, where Hylian voe were forbidden from entry. Link understood why the Gerudo had that law in place, as being an overwhelmingly female race that relied upon outsiders to reproduce put their culture and sovereignty at risk. But it still kinda sucked. At least Link was fortunate enough to have a vai twin to check in on his best friend for him.

One pyjama set and a generous spray of cologne later, Link drifted downstairs where Impa and Zelda were huddled on the couch as the latter showed off the Fire Medallion. It was a toasty, comforting warmth that lapped her fingertips like a candle flame.

The only light of the room was the television switched to Hyrule Highlights, where a Rito news anchor named Revali Medoh thanked a Zora for her weather report. _"We now move on to a discussion about the truly bizarre events that had transpired earlier tonight,"_ he said as the camera panned out to show two other news anchors sitting behind a glassy bench. One was, of course, Traysi. The third made Impa's eyes bulge.

"She wasn't supposed to start for another few months," she whispered.

Sure enough, a familiar face had replaced the charismatic and perfectly poised Twili woman. _"Due to unforeseen circumstances, Veran Lynna has resigned early. We have brought on her protégé, Purah Eri, for an early debut."_

" _Thanks, Revali,"_ she chirped. Impa was shocked that they didn't have her sister remove the red highlight in her hair. _"And what a fantastic night to start on, yeah?"_

"I swear, if you say anything dumb about my kids," Impa muttered.

" _Indeed,"_ said Revali. _"After a month-long surge in magic-related reports, we finally caught a scene straight out of a fantasy epic on live television, and it was all thanks to our field reporter, Traysi Bourgette."_

" _Well, I_ am _an award-winning journalist for a reason,"_ she said. _"Lemme tell you, it was quite the spectacle."_ She jabbed a finger at the camera. _"To any of you accusing us of pulling a hoax, get that wishy-washy garbage-"_

" _Yes yes, let us move along now,"_ said Revali. _"First, a brief recap for those tuning in for the first time."_

The screen transitioned into Hyrule Highlight's logo, and then a medium close-up of Traysi staring out of an open helicopter door at the cliffside. She had to yell into her headset just to be heard over the propellers. Suddenly, the mountain rumbled, accompanied by a roar echoing from the crater.

A lady's newspeak voiceover came on. _"Death mountain went from tremor to terror this evening when a dragon was caught live earlier today."_ Some distant, wide-angled shots showed the dragon tearing up the buildings and ramming into the elevator shaft. It was bizarre watching it from a perspective that felt so detached. _"Out of the blue, three brave heroes emerged to challenge it with swords and sorcery."_ They cut to clips of Ganondorf pinning down the dragon, Zelda exploding the neck, and Link severing it completely. It actually looked kinda cool, yet something about it made the twins cringe at themselves. Perhaps it was the fact that their _private_ adventure was being used for international entertainment.

 _"After a hard and fast-won victory, the heroes were escorted to hospital by two news network helicopters. They have been identified as Ganondorf Dragmire, the voe-born Gerudo of the century, as well as Link and Zelda Harkinian, direct descendants of Hyrule's former royal family. Since Mr Harkinian was wielding the un-excavatable Master Sword, it is believed that he and his companions were allegedly chosen by the Goddesses to lead Hyrule into a new era of magic."_ That was decidedly _not_ their goal, and now they would have to bear the controversy of sealing it away again.

"We're sorry," Zelda mumbled to Impa. "We tried to keep magic a secret. Really."

Impa rubbed Zelda's shoulder comfortingly. "It's okay, Zel. Banishing the magic before anyone came to miss it was a lofty goal anyway." Zelda nodded, the words soothing her guilt but doing little to quell her nerves.

"School's gonna be a nightmare," Link groaned.

"Going anywhere is going to be a nightmare." Zelda scrolled through her slate. "They've already found my Pictogram."

"Set it to private," Impa suggested.

"Already did," Zelda said. "I can't even have my little vintage fashion page anymore. Fanboys have already stormed my comments to point out how 'impractical' and 'unheroic' all my outfits are."

Link pulled out his slate. "Give me names. I'll cyberbully them for you." Zelda shoved him.

" _Traysi, you got to speak to the Harkinian twins,"_ said Revali.

" _Yep! They were pretty tight-lipped. The princess-"_ Zelda scoffed, _"-claimed it as official business and said they were under NDA. Personally, I think the nation has the right to know."_

" _Couldn't agree more."_

" _I firmly disagree,"_ Purah chirped. Impa straightened up. _"These are children. They deserve their privacy."_

" _Well, they're grown up enough to save the world, aren't they?"_ Revali argued. _"This is something that concerns everyone in Hyrule."_

" _Exactly!"_ Traysi exclaimed. _"What is it that we're even dealing with? Magical terrorism? The return of the Demon King? How can we, the people, prepare for whatever crisis this is if they refuse to tell us what we're up against?"_

" _Furthermore, I find it rather asinine that these_ children _are the ones fulfilling this task,"_ Revali added.

" _Cut them some slack,"_ Purah said. _"We don't know why these kids have been chosen. Only that they have. Check it, the allegedly chosen heroes allegedly killed a dragon, a molduking, and a Tyrannical Dekuphyte in the same month!"_

 _Of course they found out about the Dekuphyte,_ Link thought grimly. It wasn't like a giant flower with a massive vine network could stay hidden in the age of satellite technology.

Zelda clutched a cushion to her chest as they transitioned to talk of "Hyrule's greatest archer unmasked", eyes wide like she was watching a horror movie. Her Sheik persona had protected her private life, and now that had been ripped away as well. Tomorrow she could barricade herself from the outside world, but Monday? _School?!_ She couldn't be a _normal school girl_ anymore. Zelda could already see it. The nosy gossips. The strained friendships. The sexist pricks trying to mansplain her own quest to her.

At least for tonight's report, most of the focus was put on Link, the wielder of the Blade of Evil's Bane. He _was_ a Hylian man, so surely he would get most of the spotlight. It was a selfish thought, but for once she was grateful for the invisibility her gender offered, but when she checked CheepCheep, _#ZeldaIsAHeroToo_ was trending. For the first time in years, Zelda felt annoyed by her fellow, well-meaning feminists.

* * *

Slice. Hack. Slash. Heads severed from necks. Man. Woman. Child. Villa. Urbosa. Zelda. Link-

Ganondorf's jagged black blade met silver steel. Blue eyes locked on gold. Something primal and angry burned within.

Flash. They were in Death Mountain's crater. The scorching heat was a delightful warmth on Ganondorf's beating wings. He reared back his head, conjuring a fire in his throat hotter and more powerful than Link's blazing glare. He was but a speck to be easily wiped out.

A string of explosions blew the protective hide away. The flames came out a mere cough, and the orange cloud dispersed to reveal Link hurtling towards him, sword ready to slice. Flash. Green tunic. Ganondorf's hands raised in plea. Flash. Talons swiping at the hero's flame-breaker armour.

Tunic. Flame breaker. Tunic. Flame breaker.

Human. Dragon. Human. Dragon.

Human. Tunic.

Head severed from neck.

White. White, blurry light. Head nestled in a pillow. Thin sheets draped over his body. The smell of sterilisation. A familiar thumb caressed his hand. Ganondorf tilted his head to the side, where a red-haired woman with teal eyes and bronze skin smiled for him. "You're awake."

Slowly, Ganondorf's mind to caught up with his senses, and he realised that this wasn't some afterlife or part of his harrowing dream. Urbosa, one of his mother figures, sat beside his hospital bed, and she looked far too tired.

Ganondorf was tired too, unsure if he could even twitch his fingers, and he couldn't be bothered to try. His throat hosted a dull burn, and his mind was a haze, but his heartbeat raced, for the dream had not left him yet. Urbosa nodded at the heart monitor. "Know why that's happening?"

He swallowed, unsure if he should be honest, but there was no more denying it, right? He was mentally ill. He _hoped_ he was mentally ill at least, because the alternative was far more terrifying. "Nightmares," he confessed. "Intrusive thoughts. I don't know why it's happening, Auntie. I'm trying so hard to save Hyrule but there's something _inside_ me that says I'm meant to do something else."

"And what's that?"

Ganondorf hesitated. Not the villain. Not the villain. He couldn't confess that he was destined to be the villain. "I don't know," he lied. "But I want to fight it. I _want_ to help my friends find the medallions."

"Ganon, there's no shame in taking a break."

"They need me."

"Yes, but they need you _healthy,_ " Urbosa urged. "I've seen what happens to people who overcommit to a cause. Rest is a form of resistance."

Ganondorf sighed. "Fine. I guess I need help or whatever."

"And you're going to get it," Urbosa said firmly, pulling out her slate and scrolling through her contacts. "I'm booking a session with Gerudo Town's psychiatrist. Let's try to find out what this is so we can deal with it, hmm?"

"Fine." If Ganondorf could choose between seeing a psychiatrist or being almost blown up in the mines all over again, he would have chosen the latter.

"By the way, your friends are worried about you. Want me to let them know how you're doing?"

"I'll do it." Ganondorf mustered the strength to summon his slate. His notifications list was long and vast, but the messages from Link and Zelda stood out from the rest.

_Link told me not to go on another tangent about how sorry I am for causing this mess, so I decided to take the opportunity to say thank-you instead. Thank-you for saving my life and Link's, thank-you for not dying on us, and thank-you for making those awful mines a bit more bearable. The me from two weeks ago would never admit it, but I truly appreciate your company._

_Hey Ganon. Hope you're not feeling too trapped rn. You did great today. The news isn't giving you enough credit for what you've done. Also once this quest is over, you and I should go camping in Snowpeak. What do you say?_

Nayru's love, how could he believe that he was destined to be their enemies with flattery like that? His response was appreciative but brief, as he was still supremely tired. Kind words could always be returned another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You ever just been outed as the saviour of the world on national television? Could you imagine all the memes being made about you? All the online discourse? The thirst tweets? The shipping?
> 
> So I guess this week's comment prompt is: How would you react to chosen heroes and magic existing if you were a regular old joe in this universe?
> 
> I'd probably be laughing at memes and sharing articles about the intersectional feminist discourse of this whole scenario. Then I'd get burnt out from Feeling And Consuming Things and take a break from social media to write fanfiction, except I can't write fanfiction of the old legends anymore because it'll lowkey feel like Real Person Fiction which just isn't something I'm personally comfortable with, so then I have to find a new hobby or fandom, but I can't because everyone is focusing on the fact that Magic Is Real And So Are Chosen Ones.


	19. The Wolf and the Imp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Link and Midna finish working on their group project, they grapple with the fate of their friendship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: There is no COVID-19 in this AU.

It took every ounce of Midna's willpower to not watch the library entrance like a furnix, even when her heart beat faster every time she heard footfall that could be Link's. If it was a light swagger with rubber soles tapping against the carpet, that could be Link, and she wanted to check if it _was_ Link, but there was a very annoying reason as to why she couldn't do that right now.

Footfall that sounded like his drew closer than anyone, though it was slow and steady, like he was sneaking up on her. It was _definitely_ him, but she would play along and feign apathy about his arrival. Because of the annoying reason beyond her control.

A tap on her shoulder. She turned around and was met by a sight that forced her to push back her giggles with both hands. Link's mouth was covered by Sheik's face mask, but his eyes smiled at her through Zelda's vintage glasses. His face was circled by a tightly drawn, black hoodie. Midna's annoyingly persistent laughter wouldn't let her say a proper hello, so she could only pat the seat beside her. He pulled it out, plopped into it, and slumped back with his arms crossed in an angsty matter. "I go by Ravio from now on," he said in a gruff tone. "Ravio Lee."

Midna folded her arms on the table and buried her forehead in them, her body still shaking as she tried to contain herself. Wow. Just… _wow._ Link's options were to either arrive as, well, Link, or arrive as someone suspicious enough to _be_ Link.

"I'm glad to see you, Ravio Lee." She couldn't say the name with a straight face. "I should warn you though, we have a not-so-secret agent spying on us. _Don't look-"_ His head was already over his shoulder. Zant ducked behind a comically large Atlas about four tables away.

"How do we fool him?" Link kept his voice hushed.

There was no "graceful" way to phrase her answer, so she didn't bother. "We have to look like co-workers with zero sexual tension."

Link cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah. Sure. Should be easy for us."

Midna bit back another giggle. Her face fell once she realised that she had already failed. Okay. Deep breath. Start over. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and- _Dammit!_ Link wasn't fairing much better, wiping his clammy hands on his trousers. Posture stiff. Trying to look in every direction but Midna's. Her back shot straight. "Oh! Our notes." He nodded a bit too frantically. They dove towards their bags at the same time. Foreheads struck with a synonymous "Ow!"

Midna cringed as she rubbed the sore spot. Zant would surely have ample blackmail material by now. Did having a crush _really_ have to be this intense? With stakes like Link getting thrown in prison and padlocks on her door? Zelda really screwed things up. No. Now was not the time for bitterness. Now was time for work. On the bright side, she wouldn't be distracted by his handsome face, or his roguish grin, or his toned arms that she so badly wanted to feel around her. Honestly, the more her family tried to keep her away from Link, the more he drew her in. Delightful irony.

Link recited the trope analysis of the presentation. "The fable takes the companion archetype and refreshes it by-"

"Excuse me," a soft voice said. It came from a teenage girl rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. "You don't happen to be Link Harkinian?"

 _That fast?!_ He hoped the disguise hid his shock. Fortunately, Midna swooped to his rescue. "His name is Ravio," she said. "And as you can see, he was just in the middle of something before you interrupted him."

The girl squeaked an apology and scurried away. Midna's shoulders slumped a little. "Thanks," Link said.

"For being a bitch?"

"Yeah, actually," he said. "It's what we needed."

She snorted as she reached for a lock of hair, but a quick glance at Zant and she dropped her hand against the table. "Keep reciting," she urged.

Link had the easiest time memorising the script but wasn't the public speaker type. Midna found his awkwardness endearing, but she had the nagging notion that it wouldn't be enough for their top grade. Midna's charisma and improvisational skills made up for the lack of time they had to practice. "As our thesis states, the mirror is a metaphor for the cultural divide-"

A hand smacked on the table. " _You're_ Link Harkinian?" The college guy's face hovered too close to Link's, scrutinising him.

Midna slammed her palms on the table as she stood. "No, he is _not_ Link Harkinian. He's just some snot-nosed kid trying to get a decent grade!" Link coughed weakly to assist the illusion.

The intruder reeled back with a wrinkled nose. "I was just asking! No need to be a bitch about it."

At the b-word, Link stood. Midna planted a hand on his shoulder and forced him back down. "Leave us alone. He's not the celebrity you're rabid to meet."

The boy scoffed and walked off. Midna dropped into her seat with a huff. "You need to take some secret identity tips from Sheik," she whispered.

They went over their essay one more time to ensure that it was as polished as they could make it, and continued reciting the presentation over and over, making last-minute adjustments along the way. "How the story is passed down in Hylian and Twili culture differs," said Midna. "In my culture, it's commonly the fathers who share this fable, and no one ever tells it the same way."

"Hylians tend to favour picture book-"

"Wow. Link Harkinian is here. _In the flesh!_ "

"For Din's sake, he's not Link!" Midna snapped.

The two girls recoiled, shooting looks of disgust Midna's way. "Don't be rude," one of them sneered.

"I'm rude?" Midna laughed coldly. "You just sprung into my friend's personal space, and _I'm_ the rude one? Sorry to disappoint you, but you just wasted your time fawning over a random stranger."

"Is he though?" the other one questioned. "He's dressed like an airport celebrity." Link took the drawstrings of his hoodie and slowly drew them tighter.

"Random, and rather contagious, stranger," Midna asserted. Link coughed again. Not particularly convincing, but enough for the girls to finally leave.

Snickers came from behind a certain Atlas. Link kept an ear on Zant as he continued his recital. "Hylians have commodified the tale into- I think another one is on the way."

Midna glanced over at Zant who was whispering to yet _another_ stranger while pointing at their table. Midna's focus fell back to the slideshow. Whatever. She could shoe him away like all the others.

He stopped at their table and cleared his throat. "Are you Link's girlfriend?" Midna's stylus clattered onto the table. Her cheeks flushed purple. The words _"No. Fuck off."_ somehow evaporated in her throat.

Link, true to his heroic title, saved the day with a mock gasp. "Midna! Are _you_ the reason why my boyfriend hasn't been answering his calls?" The line hit her like a pound in the stomach. She seized Link's notebook and hid her face behind it, trying _so hard_ not to laugh.

The stranger blinked at Link. "He's gay?"

"He better be," Link said. "We celebrated our two-year anniversary a few months ago. Then he pulled that sword and suddenly doesn't have time for me anymore." Oh. Oh Midna was very much trapped. She couldn't open her mouth to tell this stranger to go away without releasing a cascade of laughter.

"But… heroes always fall for the princess…"

"It's 2020. The Chosen Hero is a bi icon, and _apparently_ he's a dirty cheater as well." He shot Midna a glare, though his eyes twinkled. Midna resorted to drastic measures, which involved "accidentally" knocking her stylus on the ground so she could crawl under the table to find it.

The nosy stranger, very much confused and wrestling with his prejudices, trudged off. Once Midna was sure he was gone, she popped back up and it all burst free as she clambered back into her seat.

"I take it back. I love being an undercover celebrity," Link declared.

"Are you actually bi, though?" she asked.

"I'm curious," he said. "Probably the token straight of my household, but if the right guy comes along, who am I to say no. You?"

Midna sighed. "I _want_ to be curious, but my parents' greatest ambition is to marry me off to some 'respectable husband'." She said the last two words in a posh voice.

The cheeky smirk beneath his mask coloured his tone. "If you marry a cop, we can't be friends."

"If I marry a cop, I want you to shoot me."

"What if I shoot the groom instead? Steal you from the alter?"

Midna laughed as she shook her head. "No way. If I let him slip that ring on my finger, I'm too far gone. Death would be mercy."

"You're never too far gone, Midna."

She held his gaze, lips slightly parted. Did he really think that of someone like her? In her periphery, Zant craned his neck around the Atlas. She coughed. "Co-workers."

Link fixed his gaze on their notes. "Co-workers," he repeated.

Trying not to flirt was like trying not to think of a purple chu chu. The harder they tried, the harder it became. The opportunities to prod and tease and banter as friends kept straying into ambiguous territory, and then they would reel themselves back again.

Zant had stopped sending fans their way, so they were making decent progress on their assignment, but the fact that he _was_ there, watching them, kept building on Midna's nerves. Just as her parents were finally cooling off about the debate scandal...

The end of their session came far too quickly. Midna didn't want to leave the person who made her feel wanted and comfortable for the family that would punish her for it. Huh. Zant was no longer around. She gave into a bold impulse. "Can I walk you to your bike?"

It was kind of nice, Midna thought, that she could only witness his smile through his eyes. "Sure."

They had some friendly chatter along the way. Link complained about the horrible reporter he had to deal with last night, and Midna mentioned some of the hilarious Allegedly Chosen Hero memes that had popped up on CheepCheep.

"I can't believe that's what people call me," Link said. "I don't get Hero of Time or Hero of Twilight. I get Allegedly Chosen Hero."

"I think it's quite charming," she said as they rounded the hedge to Link's parking spot.

He slipped off the glasses and folded them into his pocket. "You need a ride?"

Midna smiled sadly. "Not with Zant around."

"Will you be okay?"

She scoffed. "Have a little more faith in me, would you?"

"Yeah, you're right."

This was it. Their last moment away from the prying eyes of the student body and Midna's family, before they would be forced to return to the way things were, lest old rumours resurrect (and possibly on a grander scale.)

What happened next was the most foolish yet sane thing either of them could do. They drew each other in for an embrace. Link's arms coiled around her waist. Midna draped hers around his shoulders. It should have been quick and firm, but they lingered. Her cheek rested against the top of his hoodie. His mask pressed against her collar. For a moment, it was as if those were the only barriers between them.

"Be safe," Link whispered.

"I will."

Fingertips trailed fabric as they parted. Link slipped on his helmet and settled onto his seat. It felt empty without Midna sitting there with him.

She stepped back, twirling a lock of hair around her finger, a smile gracing her lips. With a nod, he started the cycle and reversed out of the parking spot. A final wave, and he drove off. Midna watched him until he disappeared around a skyscraper, and she listened until his engine faded as well.

"You said you didn't like him." She whipped around. Zant was standing in the car park behind her, drumming his fingers against his messenger bag as if he had been there the whole time.

"Guess you're sneakier than you look," she said.

"Your presentation is gods-awful," Zant drawled, "unless your goal is to make googley eyes in front of the whole class."

"Is friendship a crime to you?"

Zant laughed coldly. "So he's your _friend_ now? I'm surprised he even bothers to put up with someone as nasty as you." Midna's grip on her bag strap tightened. "Don't forget how you treated his sister back then. You do not deserve him." A shiver of guilt ran through her body. She could still fix things. She could still be forgiven by Zelda. She…

She had gotten her hopes up. No, that was the anxiety talking. It was _Zant_ talking. When their rideshare rolled into the pick-up bay, Midna refused to subject herself to the mental tug-o-war any longer. She trudged to the back door and opened it. "You can find your own way home," she sneered. "I assume Mum arranged a different pick-up for you?" Midna slammed the door in his slack-jawed face.

Epic clap backs aside, she was relieved that he'd be taking the bus home instead.

* * *

Link and Zelda were right to be worried about the school's rumour mill spinning at top speed come Monday morning. Students flocked them on all sides like fans to a celebrity, shouting over each other for attention. They bombarded the twins with questions, invitations to numerous social gatherings, and even flirtatious advances. To Zelda's horror, most of the attention was flung _her_ way.

" _I am so gonna vote for you this Friday."_

" _You were always the best candidate."_

" _Have I ever mentioned how badass you were at the debate?"_

" _Midna's got nothing on you, Zelda."_

She finally burst through the wall and barrelled through the doors. More students locked onto her as the ones from behind closed in. She whipped to her right, catching a glimpse of Midna's suggestion box before it was swallowed by more jostling bodies. It still rested on the desk under the notice board, though was horribly vandalised due to the rumour Zelda had sparked. Craning her neck over half-a-dozen shoulders, she caught a glimpse of Midna's election poster.

_Midna Ozul: The System Shaker._

_It takes a rebel to make real change._

Well, it was far from how Zelda would have done things, but it was a vision Midna had remained loyal to thus far. Zelda could hardly say the same for her own campaign.

Her mind was made up. If only there wasn't a dense body of students between herself and the principal's office.

* * *

Mrs Marie adjusted her glasses as she read the notices in Zelda's homeroom. They began with the usual, such as reminders to follow the dress code (Mrs Marie shot a look at Midna), adverts for study workshops in the library, and auditions for the school play. Zelda kept her head bowed and her hands folded in her lap, anticipation building towards one particular notice that had been read out every morning for the last fortnight.

"Once again, a reminder that the student council election will be held this Friday. If you have a slate, remember to download the Have Your Say app. Otherwise, collect a slip from the office and have it filled out before Friday's morning bell." Perhaps she was too late. Perhaps Mr Rauru hadn't updated the notices in time.

The teacher's eyebrows shot to the ceiling. "Oh my." She looked up, very perplexed. "Zelda, deary. It says you're no longer a candidate."

Zelda put on a false smile. "That's right. I withdrew this morning." Midna stared at her with parted lips and a furrowed brow, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.

"Why'd you do it?" Disappointment tinged Saria's tone.

"It's not something I can commit to."

"Because you're slaying dragons?" Sakon asked.

Zelda flushed. How in Din's name was she meant to answer that? "The rumours are false. _I_ never killed a dragon."

"You were caught live on television."

"CGI has come a long way."

Ashei scoffed. "'Cause they _totally_ animated and rendered a picto-realistic dragon in real time, yeah?"

"Isn't modern technology breath-taking?" Zelda squeaked.

"How bloody stupid do you think we are?!"

"Settle down, students," Mrs Marie commanded. "Zelda's reasons are her business and hers alone."

Saria's hand shot straight. "Please, Miss. I have a very important question for Zel."

Mrs Marie sighed. "Saria, darling, please."

"I don't mind," said Zelda. Saria was her trusted friend, after all.

The green-haired girl smiled. "Since you're not running anymore, who would you like to win?"

Zelda met the gaze of the one who had been too shocked to say a word. "I think Midna would make an excellent student council president."

Heads panned across the room. Midna shifted in her seat, still unable to say anything. The bell saved her. Students filed out of the room, and their chatter about the morning's revelation melded with the rest of the school. Zelda trailed behind, hoping to be inconspicuous, but just before she stepped out into the hall, Midna spoke up. "Why'd you _really_ do it?"

Zelda turned around with an uneasy smile. "Doesn't seem fair that I'd win because of some divine quest, does it?" She peeled off her straps, unbuckled her bag, and handed a pink binder over. "These were all my ideas for what I'd do if I were elected. I hope you'll consider them."

Midna ran her nails over the cover. A tense silence hung between them. She opened her mouth but couldn't choke out a thank-you before Zelda ducked away. Still in disbelief about what had just happened, about what Zelda had done for her, Midna forgot to move until the second bell. She slipped the binder in her bag and sprinted down the hall. It was a good thing LLS was only two classrooms over.

* * *

"At the conclusion of the tale, the wolf and the imp's true forms had been restored," Link said. "The princess had taught the hero selfishness, so he fought for the selfish desire to live a peaceful life with his dearest friend."

"But the princess, well-read in history, had learned selflessness from the hero, and was afraid that if she pursued their happiness, they would be dooming both their worlds," Midna continued.

"She shattered the mirror, because it was the safest option, but it also denied their realms the chance for true reconciliation."

"A reconciliation that would have begun with one unlikely friendship."

The class applauded them. Mrs Twinrova's was slow and rhythmic, served with the smuggest of grins. "Well done, Mr Harkinian," she said, though she was locked on Midna. "Solid B+ for the both of you."

He had failed her. That was Link's first thought, and Mrs Twinrova surely knew it too. Why else would she announce their grade and _only_ their grade to the entire class?

Midna's face remained stoic as she unplugged her tablet from the projector and slipped into her seat. Her insides squirmed at the mere thought of what she would have to deal with after school.

Link's hand hovered over hers, asking for permission to comfort her. She wove her fingers through his, and they stayed that way under the desk for the rest of the lesson.

When the bell rang, they knew this was the last moment of their short-lived friendship, and they knew it had to be the end of the ambiguity they had stumbled into, yet as they wandered through the halls, pretending not to know each other, they drifted towards the same destination.

The bag racks behind the gardening shed.

Link jumped and nestled himself onto the top shelf. Midna hung back, very aware that this was _his_ territory that he had lent to her only once. He patted the spot beside him. Hesitantly, she slid herself over the wooden panels. He was the first to cut the silence. "Are you disappointed?"

"My parents will be, but I'm not." She turned to him with a coy smile. "Thanks for trying your best. I _really_ appreciate it."

The look she gave him, combined with the light breeze nudging her hair, made the tips of his ears pink. "No problem."

She giggled lightly, and silence fell over them like a heavy blanket once more. Neither of them left though, because there were things that needed to be said but neither were allowed to say.

Midna's crossed ankles swayed back and forth. "I've been thinking lately," she said, "about my magic, and your quest, and that annoying cult. I think you were right when you said they don't want me to side against them." Bright blue veins snaked up her arms. Her hair fluttered like a candle flame. "So, I want to do just that." Glowing red eyes captivated his entire being. "The next time you go on an adventure, will you take me with you?"

Sensitive sisters, strict fathers, and sinister rumours. Midna's presence, her _everything,_ swept it all aside if just for a fleeting moment.

"Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That first scene has the same vibe as that viral video of the second-graders on a Zoom class where the teacher drops off but they know they're being recorded so they're trying so hard to behave. In my opinion, the kids do a much better job than Midlink.
> 
> So now that Midna has pledged to become more involved with the plot, but still hasn't quite made up with Zelda, what do you think will happen next?


	20. Link Kidnaps the President

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The police captain is suppressing crime reporting, so Link and Midna devise a creative solution to find a lead on the next medallion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And on this fine election day, Zelda is sporting a wonderful pair of mittens. (God this author's note is gonna age like milk.)
> 
> When I started writing this chapter during NaNoWriMo, I had to redo the whole outline in an afternoon because what follows is more exciting, hilarious, and sets up the next major arc better.

At the bottom of a ravine, torchlight passed over a naked corpse unlike any Tahk had seen before. Half was pale grey skin bloated by the damp creek bed. That much was familiar. From chipped black nail polish to bruised upper arm were veins of magenta that pulsed a dim glow. The other half of the body was larger, thicker, and covered in leathery black skin. The arm extended past her head for an estimated metre and a half, and strange black appendages sprouted from the head. It almost looked as though his own daughter's face could be under the tattered curtain of orange locks. Tahk crouched down and brushed them aside with a gloved hand.

Veran Lynna. He had missed seeing her sultry face on his television screen.

Footsteps squelched through the creek bed and stopped at his side. "We've secured the crime scene," the officer said. "Couldn't find any sign that she was dragged down here, though."

"Anything else?"

"There's an exit from an old well upstream, but it's been sealed off for centuries. All entry points have."

"Sweep the area again," Tahk instructed.

"It will be done," the officer said, "but I do have a question."

Tahk shot him a stern glare. "Better be important."

"Why is this case so under wraps? Shouldn't we be warning all Twili about this?"

"Ordinarily we would," Tahk said, "but right now, publicity means attracting vigilantes."

"With all due respect sir, every member of your family fits the profile of the alleged targets."

"No one's gonna touch them." Tahk crossed his arms. "I've given you orders, officer. I expect you to follow them."

The officer bowed his head. "Of course." He retreated upstream.

With a gruff sigh, Tahk removed his glove and pulled out his slate. He paced out of earshot of the other police as he called Midna's number. She answered on the fifth ring. _"Aren't you supposed to be working right now?"_

"You're gonna skip gymnastics for the next few weeks."

" _What?! What did I do this time?"_

Talk sighed as he pinched his nose. "Not now."

" _Yes now! I followed all your stupid rules, I met curfew, I sent you hourly selfies, and I've been avoiding that Harkinian boy. I did everything you demanded, so you're going to tell me what the fuck I did to deserve this."_

"Nothing."

A pause. _"Nothing?"_

"I can't say why," Tahk said. "I'm gonna have police escort you and your brother to and from school. There will be no extracurriculars and no going anywhere without my say so."

" _What about student council meetings? Those start on Monday."_

"Don't play games. I know the other girl is set to win."

" _Oh, you haven't heard? Zelda dropped out and endorsed me_ days _ago. Shows how little you_ actually _pay attention to my life,"_ Midna mocked. _"And since when did you start calling her 'the other girl'? When I was eight, you couldn't stop dropping her name in_ every _conversation."_

"I don't have time for your bullshit."

" _Do you have time to explain why I'm under house arrest?"_

"No."

" _Does Zant still get to do his internship?"_

"Fine. If you get elected, we'll figure something out. Happy?"

" _No. I want to know what mysterious bullshit you're trying to protect me from. How else am I supposed to stay safe?"_

"It's confidential."

" _Does it have something to do with your missing TV waifu?"_

He snarled. "There are people who could be after you, Midna!" It should have silenced her, made her meek and quiet and scared, but instead she cackled as if he had said something profoundly ignorant. "This is serious."

" _Oh, believe me,"_ she said darkly. _"I know."_

He groaned at himself for saying too much. "That's all you get. Not a word about it to anyone. Are we clear?"

" _Pfft! Fine."_

In the dark of her room, Midna hung up, scrolled through her contacts, and called another number. He picked up on the first ring. "Hey Ravio," she sang. Link hummed through the speaker. "You won't believe what my dad just said."

* * *

"And that's how we find the Shadow Medallion," Link finished.

Impa and Zelda gaped at him from across the dining table as if he had just stumbled in, splattered with blood. Applause from a nearby laptop punctured the silence. _"Fucking brilliant plan,"_ Ganondorf said on video call.

"No," said Impa.

"It is very much illegal," Zelda added.

Link shrugged. "Only if they find out."

" _That's the spirit!"_

"How could they not find out?!" Impa scolded. "Your plan is to attempt to kidnap the Captain's daughter, _get arrested_ , and piss him off long enough for Midna to steal a case file that may or may not exist."

" _I am in awe of your mad genius energy."_

"Well," Zelda chimed, "if all goes well, neither Link nor Midna will be discovered."

"It's up to you, Impa," said Link. "Just give us a few illusion strips. Midna and I can take care of the rest."

"No," Impa repeated. "It's too much risk for too little reward."

" _Are you kidding? This is exactly what we need!_ " said Ganondorf. _"I've taken over the news watch for Zel this week and there's been a huge drop in crime reports. I reckon Ozul is keeping shit under wraps so we don't go about stealing his glory."_

"You've convinced me," said Zelda. "Impa?" Impa chewed her tongue, arms crossed.

" _It's dangerous, we know,"_ Ganondorf said. _"Our only lead on the Shadow Medallion is you saying the Yiga got a hold of it centuries ago, but we have no clue where their hideout is. If the police have a lead they won't share, we gotta work for it."_

"See? Ganon gets it," said Link.

"Does it need to be you?" Impa asked. "Why not someone with a cleaner record?"

"Nope! Nuh uh," Zelda squeaked. "I can't stay calm in those conditions, and Midna and I still have... issues... Link really is the best person for the job."

Impa's disapproving expression faltered a little. "Why tomorrow afternoon?"

"It's the only chance I can get Midna alone with Zelda nearby," Link said. "There won't be a better opportunity."

All valid points, Impa thought, but it wasn't enough to give Link permission to flirt with felony.

Zelda placed a hand on her shoulder. "We can't progress if we keep playing safe."

" _If we can have faith in Link,"_ said Ganondorf, _"why can't you?"_

Impa sighed. "Fine. I'll have the spells done by tomorrow afternoon, under one condition."

"Name it," Link said.

"We're ironing out every last wrinkle tonight. I will personally ensure that Midna understands the plan backwards and forwards, inside and out. There will be _no_ margin for error. Understand?"

"Yes."

Zelda smiled at the laptop. "Thank-you for your insight, Ganon."

"Cheers, mate. You're amazing," Link added.

" _Thanks, guys. Be sure to tell me all about how Ozul gets thwarted by a couple of horny teens."_

"You're damn lucky that there's a screen between us right now."

* * *

On Friday afternoon, the school hall buzzed with excitement. No one's nerves were as high as Midna's though, who had to win an election and pull off a heist in the same afternoon. As she waited in the wings, hands shoved deep into the pockets of her varsity jacket, her mind was a mess of reciting her speech and the plan Impa had drilled into her the night before. It hinged on Midna winning the election, because only that would provide the opening for Link to "kidnap" her.

"Whoever wins the student council presidency, I trust that they will enrich the school experience in their own way," Principal Rauru said into the microphone. "As for the vice-president, may they support and enhance that vision in every way they can."

Shit! Midna had forgotten all about that. The whole time she assumed that winning the election meant an end to Groose's shenanigans, but as her vice-president, she would have to deal with his crap for the rest of the goddess-damn year! She only hoped he didn't throw a wrench into a delicate plan.

"With that, I am pleased to present your final candidates. Groose Bardoe." He strutted onstage from the opposite wing with a cocky grin and a kingly wave. "And Midna Ozul." Midna took a deep breath and strode towards her podium with a practiced smile. She did her signature hair flip, and the applause grew a little louder. Midna found the Harkinian twins sitting next to each other in the crowd. Link gave her a good luck grin and nod. Zelda kept her head bowed, and again Midna's insides squirmed.

"Mr Bardoe, please present your speech."

From his pocket, Groose drew out a crumpled piece of paper and flattened it on the podium. "Hey look. It's me, Groose, the obviously best candidate! Why? I'll tell you why. It's because I'm the coolest guy around." Someone in the silent audience coughed. "All I wanna do is help the rest of the school match my groove, because you don't get groovier than me!

"If you vote for me, I'm gonna give you the coolest school dance ever, with a kissing booth and everything." Midna cringed at the idea. A perfect opportunity for creeps to creep and germs to spread. "I'll also get the school to give us longer recess." She almost snorted at the impossible promise. "And I'll change the rules so we can cite video games on our history assignments." _That_ sent the school into an uproar of laughter. _"And_ I'll paint the school red, because red is cooler than green."

Midna's brain melted into putty just hearing this unholy combination of sentences. This was Groose. Her soon-to-be vice-president. Or president. Midna would never get over the shame of losing to _him_. If this was what the democratic process looked like, then bring back the monarchy.

"Last, but _definitely_ not least, I'm not gonna let my emotions get in the way. You won't see me screaming at people I don't like or storming off in tears. I'm gonna stand my ground and stay sane, cuz that's what a president does. So vote for Groose, or be a goose. Honk!"

Midna's trembling hands gripped the sides of her podium. Of course Groose would bring up the debate disaster and milk it for all he could. Even with Zelda's endorsement and more distracting events happening as of late, her reputation still hadn't recovered.

"Thank-you, Mr Bardoe," Rauru said forcefully. "And now Ms Ozul shall take the mic."

Her slender fingers wrapped around the microphone and slipped it from its hold. She strode towards the middle of the stage, but not because she wanted to display confidence and charisma, or to portray an air of superiority over the other candidates, and _definitely_ not because she wanted all eyes on her.

It was to show vulnerability, because she wanted nothing more than to hide behind a podium.

No one knew what to expect from Midna Ozul, the school slut, the haughty bitch, the over-achiever. There was one thing they were certain they wouldn't see though, and it was exactly what she delivered.

Humility.

"When I said that grit was the most important trait in a leader, I was wrong," she began. "It's still essential, but it comes second to something else that I have grasped these past few weeks. Reflection." The crowd was silent. Enraptured. "I know the staff want to pretend that the events of the debate didn't happen, and I do as well, but nothing will be resolved if we ignore it.

"It _did_ happen, and I reacted badly, and I am going to own up to that in front of you all, because you _deserve_ a leader who is honest, who is brave, who can self-reflect and grow.

"For the past few weeks, I have dealt with the consequences. I have been the victim of needless cruelty and I have responded in kind, but I've come to a point where I have to say no more. The cycle ends with me.

"If you vote for me, I will hold true to my promise to shake the system, to be the knife that cuts through the crap, but know that I will not turn that knife on the people I represent. Instead I will turn to you a listening ear, so I can trim and cultivate the system into what _you_ need. After all, a rebel can only make real change if she works in tandem with those who believe in her.

"If you vote for me, Midna Ozul, I pledge to become _your_ system shaker."

The applause was not thunderous, nor was it underwhelming, and yet, it was _far_ from ordinary. It represented a thousand students who had no idea what to think. Were they supposed to like Midna's speech? Was it wrong of them if they did? No one had a clue. Her words had meant _something_ to them, but they had yet to figure out what.

After a final opportunity to download the Have Your Say app and a brief tutorial on how it worked, everyone's slates dinged with a notification. Voting was live for the next fifteen minutes.

The projector displayed a live count, already programmed with the pre-count paper votes. Link hit Midna's name immediately, followed by Zelda and a remotely voting Ganondorf. Cawlin and Fledge cast their votes for Groose just as fast. Those who had already made up their minds to follow Zelda's lead voted for Midna as well, while the slut-shamers and frenemies sided with Groose.

Then everything stagnated. Midna was in the lead, but her bar was only filled twenty percent while Groose's was at fifteen. He was biting his nails as Midna remained poised and prepared for the worst.

After a minute or so, the votes picked up again. It started as a small trickle, but it slowly grew faster like a rock rolling down a hill. There was no climactic race to the middle of the bar, as the vast majority of them were for one candidate.

The time was up. 154 votes for Groose. 851 for Midna. She spread her arms to receive the applause as Groose sulked at his podium. This was exactly what she needed. A landslide victory to convince her parents that she was capable and responsible and _worthy_ of freedom and independence. The vindication washed over her.

But she knew it couldn't last.

"Congratulations, Ms Ozul. You'll make a fine president," Rauru said. "And Mr Bardoe, you… er… put up a valiant effort. I'm sure you and Ms Ozul will make an excellent team." Groose's face curdled like lemon juice in milk.

From the crowd, and for the first time ever, Zelda offered Midna a genuine smile. Maybe things _would_ be okay between them someday.

The assembly drew to a close, and just as Midna feared, both herself and Groose were summoned backstage by Rauru. "Congratulations to you both," he said.

"But I lost," Groose grumbled. Midna smirked the slightest bit.

"Be that as it may, you're both representatives of the student body now. It's time for a rundown of your duties. Firstly, the school dance at the end of the term."

Rauru had previously said that he'd hold Groose and Midna back for around fifteen minutes, which Midna's police escort had already been warned about. Link had that long to be "picked up" by Impa, receive the illusion strips, don his Ravio disguise, and sneak back on campus. Zelda stationed herself at the library, pretending to select books for a research assignment until her moment came.

3:15pm. "I won't hold you any longer," Rauru said. "Good luck at the meeting on Monday."

Midna patted her pockets and gasped. "My slate! It's gone missing."

"When did you last remember having it?"

"Onstage, for sure," she said. "I had to vote somehow."

Rauru sighed. "I'll leave the room unlocked for you." He nodded at the vice-president. "Groose."

"Yes, sir?"

"Help her find it."

"Uh, okay."

 _Dammit!_ Once Rauru left the room, Midna turned to Groose. "I might've left it on the podium. You can check while I search here."

"Whatever you say, _President,_ " he grumbled as he smacked past her shoulder.

With a glare at his back as he disappeared around the doorframe, Midna drew her slate from her pocket and called Link.

" _What's up?"_ he asked, a little out of breath as he ran.

"Groose is here."

" _I have an idea. See you in a bit."_ He hung up.

About thirty seconds later, a Yiga scout burst through the door. Midna screamed on impulse, until she saw his shadow. "Link?" she whispered. He nodded.

"Midna, you okay down there?" Groose called. His footsteps clunked down the wooden ramp.

Link looked to Midna, stricken with panic. "What do we do?"

"Kidnap me, you idiot!"

No time left to think. Link lunged. A hand clamped over her mouth. He threw the other around her middle, pinning her arms to her sides. Oh. Wow. Okay. "Struggle!" Link hissed. Right. She thrashed in his grip just as Groose rounded into the room.

His eyes bulged and he just… stood there. Midna shook her head free of Link. "Get help!" Snapped out of his trance, Groose dashed off.

Once his footfall had faded, Link released Midna as they let out a simultaneous breath. Fuck. Her cheeks were warm and dark purple and there was _no way_ Link wouldn't notice. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah yeah, just a little embarrassed." She kept her eyes fixed on his shadow. Looking at his disguise stirred up too much anxiety. "Have you got the zip tie?"

Link summoned it. "Have you got the bag?" She summoned a drawstring one large enough to be thrown over her head. She tossed it over and he caught it.

Midna held out her wrists, pressed together. He just _stared_ at them with his freaky, one-eyed mask, the zip tie hanging limply at his side. "You sure?"

"Yes, Link. Consent given. Hurry up."

Nodding, he wound the zip tie around her wrists and threaded it through, leaving room for her to slip free if she wanted. Midna rolled her eyes tightened it with her teeth.

"Keep it loose," he urged.

"We're trying to look convincing here." Her hair plucked the bag from the carpet, tossed it over her head, and drew the string so it wouldn't fall off.

"You seem a bit eager."

"My hair could still strangle you."

"Point taken," Link said. "You're definitely okay with what's about to happen?"

"Yep. Break a leg, you vile cultist."

Link wrapped a gentle hand around her wrist and guided her towards the door that led to the hallway. He knelt and pressed his ear against it. Midna leaned against the wall, but Link kept her grounded with his gloved thumb caressing her wrist.

As long as he was wearing that all-too-realistic disguise, she preferred being around him with a bag over her head.

* * *

"Officer Pipit, please!" Zelda begged. "I swear I'm not lying. I heard someone struggling in the drama room."

"I'm sorry, Harkinian," Pipit leaned against the police car in the school's parking lot. "Captain's orders."

"But it could be his daughter!"

"No," Pipit said. "The captain warned that you'd try to meddle with police affairs. I'm not falling for it."

Zelda pouted and tried to look genuinely upset. She was about to try guilt-tripping when Groose charged through the school's entrance. His pink, sweat-gleaned form stumbled towards Pipit.

"…back…nap…" he wheezed.

"Use your words, son."

"Backstage… Kidnapping… Midna…"

Pipit's hand jerked to his holster. "Show me."

Groose rolled his eyes back into his skull but lumbered around and ran. Pipit followed. Zelda puffed her cheeks but gave chase anyway. Two corners later, Groose doubled over, gripping his knees. "Hurry up!" Pipit snapped.

Zelda rushed ahead. "Follow me."

They rounded the final corner just as the door burst open. A Yiga ambled out with a struggling form hitched over his shoulder. Black lace-up heels kicked. Bound grey hands pounded at her captor's lower back.

Pipit drew his gun and sprinted forth. "RELEASE OZUL NOW!"

Link spun around. Upon seeing the gun, he set Midna down on her feet and raised his hands. She stumbled until her back met brick. The cop wrenched Link's wrists behind his back, clicked on the cuffs, and slammed him face first against the nearest wall. Pipit switched on the device on his vest. "Officer Pipit here. I got a felon at Central High. Need a pick-up."

" _Roger tha-"_ A rustling sound came through the other end, as if the device was being ripped away.

Tahk's voice came through. _"Was he after my daughter?"_

"Yes, sir. She's safe now."

" _Throw him in interrogation as soon as you get here,"_ he growled. _"Don't be afraid to rough him up a bit."_

"Rodger that." With a final beep, the transmission ended.

Zelda's face paled upon hearing Tahk's order. After rummaging around her pencil case, she drew out a pair of scissors and snipped Midna free. Midna briefly massaged her wrists and yanked the bag off her head, revealing a rather flustered face that Zelda might have snorted at under lighter circumstances.

Pipit whirled Link around and tried to dig his nails under the mask. It refused to budge. "What game are you playing?" Pipit spat. Link remained silent. The officer seized his shoulders and slammed him back into the wall. Link grunted. "Can't cower behind it forever."

Zelda almost sprung up, but a hand on her shoulder forced her back down. "Heads up," Midna whispered. "I'm gonna fake a flashback." Zelda nodded and mentally braced herself.

Pipit's forearm dug into Link's neck. "It won't come off," Link choked out.

Another slam. "Liar!"

"Stop!" Midna cried out, fingers tangled through her hair. "The violence. I c-can't…" And then Midna Ozul, gymnastics champion, newly elected president, and closeted shadow sorceress, revealed yet another one of her hidden talents.

Crying on command.

Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she heaved through sobs. Pipit turned back to Link, digging his arm in further. "You did this to her," he growled. Link gasped for air.

"I SAID STOP!" Midna screamed. "T-the hitting. The r-restraining. It's what happened t-to…" Another sob wracked through her. She howled into her knees.

Finally getting a clue, Pipit stepped back, allowing Link to slide down the wall until his legs were crossed. Pipit kept his gun trained on him. "A toe out of line and I shoot."

That single masked eye locked onto Midna, and she could feel the concern Link extended to her. She wiped her eyes and tossed him a wink.

Zelda's white-knuckled hands clutched her bag to her chest. "I won't let anything happen to him," Midna whispered. "I promise."

Zelda wanted to believe her. Her own sanity depended on it, but she was putting the well-being of her brother in _Midna's_ hands. But Midna _had_ saved Link's life in the woods, and rescued him from a tense encounter with Tahk at the library, and was likely his only defence when the rumour Zelda sparked reached Tahk's ears. Zelda trusted Link, and Link trusted Midna. That had to be good enough.

Someone stumbled around the corner. An even pinker, sweatier Groose leaned against the wall and absorbed the sight before him. Midna? Rescued. Assailant? Apprehended. Zelda? _Present._ He straightened up and planted his fists on his hips in what was surely a very heroic manner. "Looks like my work here is done," he declared.

With a self-congratulatory snicker, he sauntered off. The only way he could've possibly looked cooler was if he had a pair of sunglasses and an explosive backdrop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original Outline: Wrapping up the election subplot with a neat little bow and just a pinch of set up for the Shadow Medallion arc.
> 
> Final Product: FCDKING FAKE KIDNAPPING CASE FILE HEIST!!1!
> 
> This chapter and next were supposed to be one (oh wow she does it again) but then this sequence of events got to be longer than expected. Also cutting it off here meant I could use the best chapter title I have ever thought of. I'm dying to know what went through your head when you saw it.


	21. The Case File Heist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Tahk finds out that Midna was almost kidnapped, he responds by being a terrible father and an even worse cop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *deep breath* Okay, after much deliberation, I have decided to change the warning on my story to 'Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings' because it's really difficult to know where the line is meant to be drawn. Continue reading at your own risk, but if you need anything clarified, you're welcome to message me privately on Tumblr. I'm happy to give you spoilers if you need them, provided you keep them to yourself.
> 
> I also bumped up the rating to M. Looks like my (now deleted) promise to keep things rated T has been broken because I got a little too gory in later chapters, and things get a touch too sexual (but not too much because these kids are still underage). Sorry to disappoint anyone but I thought I might as well address it openly rather than quietly change the rating.
> 
> God, I feel like I'm writing Legend of Zelda Riverdale now...

Despite showing no resistance what-so-ever, Link was roughly into the back of a police car by two cops. This was _after_ they had both tried to pry the Yiga mask off his face, but the distant wails of Midna prevented the bruises forming on his actual skin from getting any darker. They didn't even bother to seatbelt him, which was especially problematic when they were slow to use the breaks and deliberately drove over every pothole. It was worse than Link had been treated during all his previous arrests, though the time he formed a protective barrier with other Hylians to protect marginalised groups during a Defund the Police protest came at a close second.

And yet Midna was having an even worse time in the car trailing behind. Her escort officer fawned over her like she was some scared little child. She was pretending to be scared, yes, but she wasn't _five._ "You poor thing," Pipit cooed. "You're so lucky you had your dad looking out for you. Farore knows what would've happened if I wasn't around to swoop in."

Midna tried, _really_ tried _,_ to show gratitude in a convincing manner. "My hero," she said, unable to banish the sarcastic tone entirely. Judging by the way he puffed out his chest, he hadn't noticed. Midna stared out the window just to make a face. Sure, Pipit was a hero for ignoring Zelda's plea, for brutalising a restrained perp, for following her father's questionable orders. The whole experience had taught Midna that if she was ever kidnapped for real, the police wouldn't be much help at all.

The cars pulled into the underground car park of the precinct. Link was dragged out while Pipit dashed around to Midna's side only for his shoulders to sink when she opened the door herself. He still held out a hand in some pseudo-gentlemanly move, and Midna took it with a smile that resembled a toothache.

Link glanced back at Midna and, upon seeing her being led like a child who had just been refused ice-cream for dinner, he snorted. A shove answered him. "Quiet." Midna finally wriggled her hand free and wiped it on her shorts.

One of the cops flanking Link groaned at a piece of paper stuck to one of the elevators. "Repairs," he grunted. "Other one takes forever. Who do we send up first?"

Midna feigned timidness. "I know Dad doesn't like to be kept waiting," she said. "We could all ride together?"

"We couldn't put you through that," Pipit said, somewhat aghast.

"I feel safer when I can see him. I don't have to be paranoid about him sneaking up on me or…" There was no need to finish the sentence.

"Righteo," Pipit chirped. "Just know that we're here to protect you, Miss Ozul."

" _Ms_ Ozul," she corrected. Her parents always insisted on "Miss."

It was a cosy fit in the elevator, with the three police officers creating a barrier between Midna and Link. She was taller than Pipit, so it was easy to look over his shoulder. The officers had too firm a grip on Link's upper arms, and they periodically twisted their hands in opposite directions, though not hard enough that Link would make a pained noise and cause Midna to have _another_ faux crying fit.

A lock of Midna's hair snaked down her back, wove through the cops' ankles, and trailed upwards until the soft bristles stroked Link's palm. He surprised her by twirling her hair around his finger. If Pipit looked her way at that exact moment, the whole operation would be blown. Her cheeks were a deep purple, and she scarcely bit back her smile.

The doors opened to a communal office area with far too much hustle and bustle for the "reduced crime rates" Tahk had been championing recently. Fortunately, no other Twili were present. The officers wrestled Link out and Midna's hair slipped away as they were pulled in opposite directions. Link was marched down a hall while Pipit steered Midna towards his desk.

"You don't need to watch him anymore," Pipit soothed. "He can't escape now." If only Pipit knew that in the next thirty minutes or so, his proud catch would have slipped back into the ocean.

"Can I wait in my dad's office?" Midna asked. "I'll feel safer." She would _not._

Pipit's face softened as he guided her there. "Of course, Miss Ozul. I'm sure he wants to see you're okay." She wasn't counting on it.

Pipit raised his knuckles to the navy-blue door, but it tore open.

"Hey, Dad," Midna sang timidly. Before she could say another word, Tahk pulled her inside and slammed the door.

"What happened," he demanded.

"It was after I won the election." She gave a brief testimony. "Next thing I knew, Zelda had cut me free and my captor was arrested."

"Good on Pipit," Tahk said. "I should make him your regular escort."

Midna fought back the urge to cringe. "Great idea."

Tahk snatched up a file and shut the blinds of the windows viewing the main office. "I'm locking you in," he said. "Stay here and don't touch anything." Was he seriously leaving his _almost kidnapped_ daughter so soon, without a single word of comfort?

"Where are you going?"

"That bastard and I gonna have a little chat." The door slammed behind him.

Well, now Link had to walk the tightrope of keeping her dad distracted long enough _without_ becoming a victim of more police brutality. Delightful.

She wove her fingers together and stretched as she slipped into the seat opposite Tahk's. His mahogany desk was a mess compared to the tidy organisation of the shelves above. The room was dimly lit as well, which was a preference for Twili. In her periphery, Midna spotted a security camera. Under the cover of the desk, red energy crackled. With a flick of her palms, the cord snapped.

She rifled through the papers, skimmed over them, and then placed them exactly how they were before. Accounts of science lab heists with never-before-seen methods of bypassing security. Body snatchings in Kakariko Graveyard. Suspicious figures frequenting Vaati HQ. That last one was labelled as a closed case even though it looked anything but.

Surprisingly, though not by much, Link and Ganondorf's records were also in the pile. The only thing connecting these documents was that they all hinted at magic somehow being involved, like Tahk was trying to unravel some big conspiracy so Hyrule wouldn't need its chosen heroes, but nothing hinted at why he would suddenly be so concerned with Midna's safety.

He had taken a file on his way to the interrogation room.

Into the shadows, she sank. A staff member walked by. The head of her shadow grazed the bottom of Tahk's door, and Midna hitched a ride. The nearby cord of another camera broke. From there, she slipped from shadow to shadow, progressing towards the hallway with an eye out for more cameras. Target locked. Wire snapped.

Midna flowed through the shadows cast by shelves opposite the interrogation rooms. Tahk's muffled snarls were audible -that stirred up horrible memories within her- but the way Link yelled back left her hopeful. She smiled to herself. There was something about Link being a jackass to her dad that she found wildly attractive.

There was a thud and a grunt. Fear clutched her heart as she slipped under the door. From what she saw at her vantage point, it took everything she had to not throw her father against the wall.

Link was arched forward, away from the back of his chair. The rest of him was obscured by the table he was cuffed to, as well as Tahk's menacing frame hunched over. Was her dad _shoving_ Link's head into the table? That was supposed to be illegal!

"I won't tolerate your little games any longer," he growled. "You messed with _my_ daughter. Thought she would become another name in a list of missing Twili. The only way you're getting out of here is if you tell me why she was targeted."

"Maybe I was rescuing her from a shitty father," Link rasped. "Thought of that?" Another thud.

Midna flew under the table where she had a view of the locked door. She channelled her magic and waited.

"Were you gonna mutilate her too? Dump her corpse in a ravine?"

"Oh, I see. This is about your TV waifu." Another thud disguised the unlatching of the door's lock. She flew along the shadow of a pipe running up the wall. The security camera didn't have the red light indicating it was on. Just in case, she snapped the wire.

The case file they were after was spread over the table. Photos of… _something_ in a ravine, and that same something or _someone_ on an autopsy table. Another unnecessary thud disguised the noise of the papers disappearing into her void. Tahk was too focused on Link to notice, and she hoped it stayed that way for just a bit longer.

"What about the so-called hero?" Tahk said.

Midna slipped back under the table. A lock of hair rose from the shadow, coiled around Link's ankle, and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"You think we're in cahoots with him?" Link chuckled. "That's insulting."

"Explain yourself." The ball of Tahk's palm pushed Link's head harder into the table.

Link summoned a bobby pin pre-bent into shape. "He's a common enemy for the both of us," he rambled through his pained grimace, projecting his voice loud enough to disguise the metallic clicking of the pin in his cuffs. "We could work together to take him down, and then you won't have to be jealous of a 17-year-old boy anymore." Another thud, harder. The jolt of pain caused Link's pin to fly from his hand. It chinked across the table. Tahk perked up, and upon seeing nothing aside from that wretched pin, he roared.

He seized the culprit's wolf tail and yanked it all the way back, making Link's arms taught. "You thought you could steal the evidence and escape? Was that your plan?" Link chest heaved, and beneath the mask, his throbbing forehead was drenched in sweat. "Where did my file go?" Link needed Midna. "WHERE IS IT?!" He needed her. Tahk felt Link over until found the invisible corner of something papery on his chest. Cautiously, he peeled it away. Red shifted into black.

The following happened in less than a second. A blackout. Tahk thrown into a wall. Metal snapped.

The culprit snatched paper from Tahk's hand, burst through the door, and ran down the hall, escorted by a pair of heels. Police in the main office shouted through the darkness for the intruders to stop. They did not. They crashed through a door and slammed it shut.

Tahk scrambled to his feet and sprinted towards his office. He drew his gun and rammed his shoulder against the locked door until it burst. The gun flicked towards a tall, shadowy figure, who spun around with a gasp. He squinted. "Midna?"

"Hey sir- Dad." Her hands were shoved deep in her pockets.

Tahk's gun panned the room. "Did someone run in here?"

"It's just been me the whole time."

He glanced over his shoulder. Staff were using their slates to examine shattered light bulbs. "Do we have footage of what happened?" Tahk asked the room.

"Not for the last five minutes at most," someone piped up. "All the wires were cut somehow."

"Anyone suspicious sighted?"

"No, sir," the room chanted.

Tahk slammed his fist into the door frame. He needed more Twili on the force. "Search the precinct. Don't let anyone in or out without my say so. Understood?" They murmured an affirmative and set to work.

"Uh… Dad?" Midna mumbled. "Can I go home?"

"I said no one leaves."

"I'm a target. Not a suspect. I shouldn't be here if my kidnapper is loose."

With a huff, Tahk called Pipit over. "Take my daughter home," he ordered. Pipit saluted and placed a hand on Midna's shoulder to steer her out. Tahk could've sworn he saw the briefest, most miniscule wince.

His daughter, usually so composed as she walked, wobbled on her heels but stubbornly refused to use her arms for balance.

* * *

Solaria flew out of the kitchen as soon as the door clicked shut. Midna shoved her hands back into her pockets. "Midna, darling." Solaria planted firm hands on her daughter's shoulders. Midna winced. "Are you hurt?"

"Just a bit of bruising. I'm fine."

Solaria looked her over. "You didn't take off your shoes."

Panic flashed across Midna's face. "Was I supposed to?"

"Yes, as you have done your entire life."

"Right. Uh… I'll do that." When Solaria made no move to leave, Midna awkwardly cleared her throat. "Will dinner be ready soon?"

"I'll finish up as soon as I can. It's a roast though, so you'll be waiting a bit."

"I can hold out."

"As you should." Solaria returned to the kitchen.

Midna took small, flat-footed steps towards the shoe rack by the door, squatted down, and dropped into a sit. She pulled her hands from her pockets to untie the laces. Broken handcuffs jingled against her wrists like bangles. Once the shoes had been kicked off, she found herself transfixed by her long, slender legs, running a hand along the smooth skin.

A shadow snickered.

With flushed cheeks, Midna crossed the cool, glassy tiles towards the stairs. At the top, Zant emerged from his room as he adjusted his tie. "What happened?" he asked. "I heard there was an incident."

"Yeah. Attempted kidnapping," she said solemnly.

Zant's face flashed not with worry, but confusion. "A kidnapper? At school?"

Midna nodded. "I need to lie down for a bit."

He stepped aside, and unbeknownst to her as she passed, he caught a glimpse of her mismatched shadow. Midna shifted so her back was to Zant and placed her hand on the nearest doorknob.

"What are you doing? That's my room."

She pulled away like she had just touched hot metal. "Sorry. I'm a bit out of it." Midna found her door, the one with the motion sensor attached, and went inside.

Once the door had closed behind her, she let out a sigh of relief and reached for something invisible on her chest. The withered illusion strip peeled away, leaving Link in his hoodie, mask, and glasses.

The real Midna rose from his shadow, wearing his boots, and trying so hard not to laugh at him.

"I was really confused when you swapped our shoes at the last second," Link said. "Nice save though." Back at the precinct, when Link was about to slap on Midna's disguise, she gasped and snapped her fingers. Link suddenly found himself wobbling in a pair of heels.

"You're terrible at being me."

"I did a passable job," Link claimed. "Would've helped if you wore sneakers."

"They aren't presidential." She took his wrists to remove the cuffs with her magic.

"But a varsity jacket is?"

"School spirit," Midna quipped. With a snap, the shoes teleported from her feet to Link's.

"Am I allowed to have these on?"

"My room, my domain." She sauntered over to her bed and flopped back onto it. "Farore, I'm exhausted."

"We still have work to do," Link said. "Could you turn on the light?"

With a groan, Midna sat up and pointed at the light switch behind Link. It flicked on, though it wasn't as bright as Link was accustomed to. Midna's room looked exactly like one you'd expect to see in a display home or interior decorator's portfolio. Her bed frame, desk, chair, and vanity were all black wood with bare surfaces. Her bedspread had artsy Twili patterns and copious pillows. All the walls were stark white aside from the dark turquoise one at the head of her bed, which had generic canvas art from a chain furniture store.

There was a single narrow window with bars.

As Link looked around, he couldn't think of a polite way to say what he thought, but he didn't have to. "Not very me, is it?" Midna said. With a snap of her fingers, the room shifted. Indie band posters plastered her walls. A "motivated by spite" mood board hung above a desk piled with books. Her vanity displayed a gaggle of make-up and jewellery, and clothes were strewn about her bed as if she had tried on several outfits that morning. "Better?" Link nodded as he absorbed the far more homely sight.

"Mum likes keeping things spick and span," she explained. "Once I discovered my magic, I milked it for all I could."

"Impressive," Link said. "Kinda feel bad trying to get rid of it."

"Yeah, well, I'll be graduating soon anyway. Then I can move out and do what I like." Her shoulders drooped, and there was a melancholy in her eyes that Link suspected he would never understand. "I'll miss it, but that's why I've gotta get the most out of it now." With a flick of her wrist, her draws and wardrobe opened, and all the clothes on her bed flew inside before they shut again.

She patted the spot next to her on the sheets. Link eased onto it. "Wow," he breathed, adjusting himself for maximum comfort.

"You're descended from royalty, aren't you, Harkinian?" Midna poshed. "How are you not accustomed to the most luxurious mattresses?"

"Easy. My guardian's a bouncer, not a cop."

"Touché," she chimed. "Say, why are you still wearing that ridiculous disguise?"

Link's eyebrows shot up. "Asking me to get undressed in your bedroom?"

Midna nudged him with her knee. "Oh, don't give me that. _You_ were totally checking me out by the door."

"Technically I was checking _me_ out."

Another nudge. "Typical man, taking credit for a woman's assets."

This was their dynamic now: pretending to flirt and toy with each other. It had become an in-joke of sorts, because the prospect of a romance between them was both absurd and impossible. It was as if they were playing alternate versions of themselves, where Link didn't have to worry about his sister, and Midna wasn't afraid of her past, and they both knew that their feelings were mutual.

They never forgot about the line.

Link chuckled but gave into Midna's request. Given how strenuous the afternoon had been on him, he had wanted to claw off his layers anyway. First the glasses were removed and stored, followed by the mask. When he pushed back the hood, that was when Midna's anxieties began to constrict. First, she saw the bruises on his hairline, then the ones under his chin and around his neck and collarbone. The sleeves slipped away to reveal his upper arms splotched in purple and green. She stole a look at his back, covered by a green shirt, where more bruising crept from the neckline.

"Oh Farore," Midna breathed.

"The mask protected me from the worst of it," Link assured her, "and the Triforce lets me heal fast. It'll be gone in a day."

"I know, but…" Midna's fists shook in her lap. "My _dad_ did this to you."

"They used unnecessary force, yeah, but in his defence, I kinda did something to deserve it this time."

" _This_ time?"

"Midna, please." He took her hands. "I'm okay. Really." Was he, though?

"You don't get it!" Her whole body was trembling now. Tears danced in her eyes, and she looked like she was desperately trying to swallow something back.

Thumbs caressed her wrists. His voice was soft and low, as if he knew it could shatter her. "What's wrong?"

Midna pursed her lips and shook her head. "I don't wanna make this about me."

"It _is_ about you," he said. "We can't move forward until we've sorted this out."

As usual, he was right. They had one more task to take care of, and it couldn't be done when Midna was in a fraught mental state. "Oh gods, I- This is gonna sound so stupid but- I keep thinking about what if all this was real."

He tilted his head.

"Like, what if the kidnapping wasn't staged, and you were an actual cultist, and things went mostly the same way? My dad's reaction wouldn't've changed." Her sigh rattled. "I played the traumatised victim, but what if I was _actually_ traumatised, and my dad just locks me up like a piece of china for safekeeping. Then he goes off and beats up some guy in my name instead of making sure I'm okay.

"I know it seems like he was looking out for me in his own extremely misguided way, and he probably was, but I heard the things he said to you and something about it was bugging me. After we escaped, I realised. He cares more about revenge than me."

The full impact of her words sank in, like a heavy object in a highly viscous liquid. Only when it clunked against the hard floor could Link fathom a response. "I guess he does."

Talking about it should have been enough -it _needed_ to be enough- but gods-damn it, she was about to explode, and if she exploded, her mother would come running up the stairs, burst into Midna's room, and find the forbidden and endlessly controversial Link Harkinian lounging on her bed beside her.

So Midna did what she had done for many nights, before she had the magical means to escape her insufferable household. She threw herself face first onto the pillows to muffle her sobs and choke back her screams. Eyes screwed shut and mouth pressed into the fabric. Why did this cascade of emotion have to happen _now?_ And in front of the very boy who didn't deserve to be tangled in her family drama any more than he already had.

The bedframe creaked as he lay down beside her, and when he offered his hand at the halfway point between them, Midna seized it like it was the rope swaying above a tar pit that threatened to swallow her.

Her shudders settled a little to the point where her hand loosened, and in that moment, she realised how horrendously touch starved she was. She had been touched in many ways that day, by many people, but it was rarely affectionate. Groose had smacked past her shoulder. Zelda had begrudgingly released her binding. Pipit had steered her about like a trolley. Her dad had dragged her into his office as if he couldn't stand the scandal of his own daughter being the victim of a violent crime. Link had handled her roughly, but not without her consent.

But the handholding, the caressing, the way he had twirled her hair around his finger, was a tenderness she hadn't experienced in _years._ She needed more of it. More of _him._

Her head rustled against the pillow as she turned. Gods, his eyes. The way they beheld her broken state as if she was beautiful and whole. She swallowed hard. "W-would it hurt if I hug you?"

"Probably." She loved the way his voice sounded. Hushed and a little husky. "But I don't care."

"I do."

Link hummed as his thumb brushed the back of her hand. "Guess we're leaving room for Hylia, then."

A chuckle disrupted her sobs. "Hylian modesty culture is the worst." She reached out, hand hovering just above his chest. "What if I touch you?" He took her hand and guided it the rest of the way, torso tingling underneath her touch.

They stayed like that for a little while. Eyes closed. Feeling each other's presence. Slowly but surely, Midna's heartbeat relaxed, but Link's kept on climbing. He _was_ a teenage boy lying in bed with his crush, who also happened to be his sister's bane and the daughter of the guy who had pounded his head into a table less than an hour ago. But he honestly, selfishly, wanted to savour this moment. Link dearly wished those barriers weren't in the way, because he and Midna shared an understanding that he craved in all his relationships, but so few provided.

Midna understood his insatiable lust for adventure, his desire to shirk pointless rules for something that mattered, and his need to build a better world one radical action at a time, but there was something else there that was so entirely Midna Ozul. A month ago, he didn't understand what it was or why it drew him in. Why was he so enraptured by her venomous temper? Her sharp tongue? Her stuck-up attitude? They were the traits of a "mean girl", and they were what hurt his sister nine years ago. The answer finally came to him during Midna's election speech.

He sucked in a breath.

Midna perked up her head. "What's wrong?" She had calmed significantly.

"I'm such an ass."

"Link, we talked about the name-calling."

"No, really," he said. "I forgot to congratulate you. For winning the election."

She smiled. "You're the first, aside from Rauru's formality. I'd say you're doing quite well."

"Only because I distracted everyone with a different issue."

"You're right. We have gotten quite distracted, haven't we?" Link tried to sit up but the hand on his chest eased him back down. "Stay," she purred. "You still need rest, Mr Important Hero."

"How do we look at the case file like this?" Midna snapped her fingers, and the papers hovered above them. "Oh."

A few minutes into reading through their first page each, Midna's slate rang. It was her generic tone, so she assumed it must be from a business or something. When she checked however, her eyebrows shot up. "It's Ganondorf," she announced.

"You have his number?"

Midna rolled her eyes. "You're not the only guy I've done an assignment with." She hit speaker.

" _Hey, Midna."_ Ganondorf sounded a bit worn.

"It's been a while. What's up?"

" _Zel and Impa can't get a hold of Link. They're crazy worried."_

Midna shot Link a glare. "Is your slate even on?"

"Thought it might go off in the Yiga disguise," he said defensively. "Meant to turn it on when I got here."

" _And how long ago was that?"_

"Like, twenty minutes?"

" _And what were you doing?"_

"Looking at the case file," he mumbled. Midna smacked her head against the pillows as she snickered. Apparently she knew Ganondorf well enough to be in on his bullshit.

" _Oh?"_ said Ganondorf, clearly not convinced. _"Is that why I hear mattress springs?"_

Link turned red. "Ganon!"

Midna yanked a spare pillow and shoved it over her face. She wanted to cackle until every last keese fled from the pine trees across the road.

" _Okay, I'll let you get back to your 'case file analysis',"_ Ganondorf said suggestively. _"Just call your fam and_ don't _get caught."_

"I know. I'll call you too." Ganondorf was absolutely going to pester Link for details if he didn't deliver. With a final goodbye, they hung up.

"You're adorable when you're flustered," Midna cooed.

"Shut up," Link deadpanned as he called Zelda.

Link suffered through a brief yet passionate lecture that Midna heard through the speaker pressed to his ear. She tried to engross herself in another page the whole time, though her churning anxieties sapped away her focus.

"Love you too, Zel," Link said. "See you in an hour or so." A tap ended the call.

Midna flipped over to the next page. "Can I ask you a favour?"

"Sure."

"Tell Zelda I said thanks for the endorsement. She gave me her campaign binder and I got a bit tongue tied."

"I could help you do it yourself, if you like?"

"No! No. I'm… not at that stage yet…"

She expected Link to say something vaguely judgemental (What regular person wouldn't?) but he merely shrugged and said, "Okay."

It didn't take long to glean the most essential information they needed from the case files. Five Twili had gone missing without a trace. The deformed remains of one had been discovered in a creek that wrapped around Kakariko Graveyard. There was an old well connected to an underground temple. Even when the magic had left Hyrule, the Sheikah treated the area as a cursed place to be left undisturbed.

"Sounds like the perfect cover for a hide-out," Link said. No response. He tilted his head over, and what he saw was like a punch to the chest.

The gruesome pictographs of Veran's remains, both in the creek and on the autopsy table, leered over Midna. Her skin was almost paper white, and her eyes were wide, as if she was stuck in a horrific trance. "Midna!" Again, no response. He gently shook her shoulder, and she gasped. The papers rained down on them and disappeared into black particles.

"Oh goddesses, no," she whispered. "No, no, no. That could've been me. Farore, maybe it _will_ be me." The image was burned into her mind now. Her own husk. Naked. Deformed. Discarded. Dead.

"No," Link asserted. "You're a survivor, Midna, and you'll keep on surviving."

"I know, it's just…" She gulped. "Being confronted with what could've been…" Veins of malice trailing along her swollen arm. Half-morphed into a shadowy monster.

"We still don't know about the other four. It might not be too late. C'mon, look at me." Red eyes met blue. "Your dad might not be able to solve this, but we can."

"We can," Midna repeated, her resolve slowly creeping back. "We can." Her shaky breath mellowed out. "When?"

"Tomorrow evening, I reckon. Ganon's still recovering, and Zelda has her own thing."

"So, just the two of us?"

Link threaded a hand through his hair, failing to contain a bashful grin. "Yeah."

 _Link Harkinian, I do believe you just asked me out on a date._ It was wishful thinking, but gods-damn-it, she _needed_ a nice, wishful thought right now. She couldn't cross that line, and she sure as hell couldn't refer to a harrowing mission in such a manner, so she said the next best thing.

"Let's try to come out of this without any nasty rumours, shall we?"

He smirked. "I will personally make sure Zelda gets a good night's rest."

Zant was right. She did not deserve him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, maybe I would be writing Legend of Zelda Riverdale if I took all the bullshit in this story way too seriously. (Also confession, I have never watched Riverdale.)
> 
> Can you buh-lieve I didn't have all this juicy Midlink in the original outline? Planners will understand.
> 
> Also a bit of a heads up so the Midlink fans aren't disappointed: we're not launching into The Date- I mean Shadow Medallion arc next chapter. We gotta give our boy Ganon a mental health check in.
> 
> EDIT: I have the bestest boyfriend ever who drew TMA Midlink and ajshdajfhagfg IT'S SO CUTE~! I posted and pinned the post on my Tumblr so it should be the first thing you see when you open my blog.


	22. Ganon and Zelda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ganondorf is desperate for some non-magical explanation for the demon inside his head. Zelda visits him in Gerudo Town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: The following chapter includes discussions of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder, and Other Specified Dissociative Disorder. The scene in question has been read by a sensitivity reader.
> 
> There are also a few references that kinda sound like 4th wall breaks but are really intended as Easter eggs I guess.
> 
> PLEASE DO NOT SKIP THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END.
> 
> Updated 5 March 2021. Added narrative at the end based on reader feedback.

Water lapped at soft linen robes, dappled in the mid-afternoon sun. A breeze toyed with Zelda's hair, tickling her closed eyelids and clasped hands. "I come seeking help regarding this power that has been handed down over time. Prayer will awaken my power to seal the magic away."

She raised her head to meet the blank, stony gaze of Hylia. It felt no different to staring at a wall. Zelda had nothing to _say_ to a wall. The ceremonial garb she wore was heavy and loose, her wrists clammed up beneath the metal crests of Hylia that circled them, and her hair wouldn't stop tickling her goddess-damn nose!

"Impa," she called over he shoulder. "What do I say next?"

The guardian stood guard at the ruined entrance to the Spring of Courage. "Whatever you think needs to be said."

"Well, I have nothing left to say." Zelda's hands splashed against the water. "We've been at this for an hour. Stone statues can't be persuaded to give magical handouts."

With a sigh, Impa turned away from her post. "The statue is just a stand-in for Hylia herself. In reality, Hylia is within you."

"I'm well aware, thank-you," Zelda snipped, "and it doesn't make it any easier to wrap my head around. I'd rather she rose up to speak to me herself. Maybe then she could convince me to clutter my mind with the memories of other people."

"Is that what this is about? The memories?" Zelda nodded. "You wish to live in blissful ignorance?"

"I wish to maintain my personhood. Not become another vessel for those who came before." Zelda rubbed her eye. "I'm tired, Impa. I know this is a necessary part of saving Hyrule, but it's a lot to reckon with."

As Zelda's spiritual guide, Impa should have encouraged her to stay a little longer, but as Zelda's parental figure, she could not stop herself from saying, "Alright, we'll try again another time."

Relief spread through both of them, with guilt trawling close behind.

Zelda hitched up her soaked skirt and waded past the lily pads and dragonflies. She grimaced as her bare, unleathered feet pressed against the gravelly steps, until she slipped on the sandals waiting for her. The overdrawn hem of the dress thwapped against the rough tiles.

"Did my mother ever wear this?" Zelda threaded her thumbs under the arm holes and pulled the fabric taught.

"No," Impa lied.

"Do you think it would have fit her?"

"Probably not." Zelda Senior had worn the gown beautifully.

Zelda's brow furrowed as she fiddled with a rather inconspicuous part of the fabric near the abdomen. "Is that invisible mending?" Impa's heart leapt to her throat. Zelda brought her eye and the fabric closer together. "Oh wow, it is! Very impressive. Hardly noticed it."

Impa's hands trembled behind her back. She hated being here. She hated seeing Zelda in those robes. She hated the fact that Zelda had noticed something that brought Impa back to that tragic night nine years ago.

A nearby bush shook. In a flash, Impa threw a knife. A dying squeak. "Impa!" Zelda scolded. She hobbled over, almost tripping over the hem as she did. The shrub parted to reveal a tiny corpse twitching under the blade. "It was _just_ a squirrel."

Impa blinked at her, lips parted. There was no excuse for her behaviour. "I'm sorry."

Drawing a deep breath, Zelda shuffled over and wrapped her arms around Impa's middle. Her head nestled into her guardian's chest. "Bad day?" Impa drew Zelda in tighter and nodded against her blonde crown. "Me too."

* * *

Zelda stretched her arms above her head as she left her room, grateful to be in her own clothes again. She wore a sky blue, frilly wrap dress that fluttered as she moved. Her hair shimmied against her back, save for the braid running over her crown. Silver jewellery dripped from her ears, down her neck, and around her wrists. It had been too long since she'd had the opportunity to dress up.

Soft cursing came from the bathroom. With an amused smile, she crept lightly so her white Mary Janes wouldn't click against the floorboards. She flung open the door. A comb flew out of Link's hand. "Gods, Zel. Couldn't've knocked?" He snatched it from the tiles. "Didn't even know you were home." He had spent the day sleeping so he would be well-rested for the mission that night.

"Afraid of being caught, were you?" Zelda snatched up an open container and a lidless spray bottle. "Hair gel and cologne? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were about to go on a date."

"I'm not. I mean, I want to, I just-" He sighed. "Nayru's love, I'm the worst brother ever."

"You like her that much?"

He nodded. "I'm still trying to get over her. For your sake. But after yesterday…"

"What happened yesterday?"

"It's not mine to share," Link said. "I know that sounds bad. Nothing _intimate_ happened. We're still just friends, but we've been joking around, and I think it actually means something. But Zelda," he gripped her shoulder, "I won't make a move if you don't want that."

Zelda hummed, then squirted cologne at his mouth. He coughed and wiped his mouth on his arm. "Okay, I get it. I'm an ass."

"Oh no, that wasn't my intention at all," she chimed. "I'm helping you get ready."

His face dropped in surprise.

With a spritz on his wrists, the bottle chinked against the sink. "I've been thinking about you and Midna a lot, and I really don't want to get in the way of a good thing."

"You mean it? You have to mean it."

She plucked the comb from his hand. "If I'm being honest, it still bothers me, but her speech yesterday set a lot of my worries to bed." Zelda drew the comb through his shaggy hair. Thank Hylia she intervened before he used the hair gel. "She really has changed, hasn't she?"

Link smiled fondly. "Yeah."

"But," she popped, "consider all the risks. You're a public figure, and her dad has a vendetta against you. There's a good chance the stars will cross."

"Yeah, yeah." Link smirked. "Kinda makes it more exciting though." Zelda jabbed his forehead with the comb. He reeled back laughing.

"By the way," he drawled as Zelda opened the cupboard above the sink, "you look ready for a date yourself."

The mascara bottle she had just grabbed clattered into the sink. She snatched it up. "I just felt like dressing up. That's all."

"Going out?"

Zelda nodded as she twisted off the cap. "Thought I'd visit Ganon in Gerudo Town." Link perked up. Being a Hylian voe, he hadn't seen his best friend outside of a screen for the past week. "Want me to bring him anything?"

Link dashed down the stairs, snatched something up, and came thudding back. "Give him this." He held out a copy of _Majora's Mask_. "Get him to return _Ocarina of Time._ It's been six months."

"Sure. Anything else?"

"Yeah." Link planted both hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes, as if he was about to declare war. "Tell him that when he shows his face here again," he said darkly, "I will absolutely slaughter him in _Mario Kart._ "

"You know, a simple 'I miss you' can go a long way."

Link grinned as his arms fell away. "He'll get the message."

"Alrighty then." Zelda twisted the cap back on her mascara. "I have to go, but there's one more thing to take care of."

"What's that?"

She threw her arms around him and squeezed tight. "Stay safe, okay?"

"I will," he returned the embrace, "and _please_ don't lose sleep over me if you can." She nodded against his shoulder. "Love you."

"Love you too."

* * *

The Gerudo psychiatrist pushed her glasses up her nose as her eyes ran over the clipboard. "To recap, you're saying you have violent nightmares and intrusive thoughts on a regular basis."

"Yeah," Ganondorf mumbled.

"That consistently cast you as the Demon King from our fables."

"Yeah."

"And though most of the time, you feel completely separate from these thoughts, sometimes they feel like they're coming from you?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah."

The psychiatrist wrinkled her nose thoughtfully. "Have you ever acted on these thoughts?"

"Not yet."

She scribbled down a note. "Alright, we have two possibilities. The most likely one is that this is a symptom of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. As I understand it, you have dealt with police misconduct, intergenerational trauma, and life-threatening battles with monsters?"

"Yeah."

She nodded solemnly, the chain on her glasses wobbling. "The good news is that you never have to be afraid of acting on these thoughts. The fear of doing so is simply part of the illness."

"But what if it isn't?" Ganondorf demanded. "I told you, sometimes they _feel_ like my thoughts."

"I'm getting to that," she said. "The second possibility is Other Specified Personality Disorder."

Ganondorf blinked. "What?"

"You may have heard of an outdated term, Multiple Personality Disorder. It's been renamed to Dissociative Identity Disorder. When you don't fit all the diagnosis criteria for DID, you're said to have Other Specified Dissociative Disorder."

He perked up, hope swelling inside. This was it, scientific proof that he didn't have some ancient demon squirming inside and waiting to strike. "That's gotta be it, right?"

"Hold on, Ganondorf. I'm not done. What you have described to me sounds like it _could_ be an alter, and specifically a prosecutor. Your quest is to stop a supposed ancient evil from returning, so in order to protect you, your mind may have created its own version to antagonise you instead.

"However, you are missing two key criteria. First, this alleged alter is your first and has not, to your knowledge, taken control of your body thus far. Second, you have not told me of any severe, repeated childhood trauma, nor have you grown up without a key caregiver. Without those conditions, the fracturing of the mind cannot occur."

"I'm an orphan," Ganondorf tried.

"If you had gone to, say, a Hylian psychiatrist instead, they might've seen it that way. However, I know our customs. You've been raised by a supportive community, yes?"

"Yeah."

She set the clipboard aside and laced her fingers over her knee. "I cannot diagnose you with it yet. We will monitor the situation further."

Ganondorf frowned, but her reasoning made sense. There was one more thing bugging him though. "If he does take over my body though, would he do something dangerous? He keeps threatening my friends and family."

"Please don't refer to an alter just yet," she said. "But if he does exist, then you don't need to worry about your body being used to harm your friends. The reason why is because alters exist to help the system survive. Causing pointless harm to those we lean on runs counter to that instinct. The only person an alter would abuse would be the host or another alter."

"That still doesn't explain why most of the threats are for Link and Zelda."

"We can only infer," she said. "My guess would be that because you had your most recent traumatic encounters with them present, your mental illness is trying to push them away for your own protection."

The final piece clicked. That was it. _That_ was the explanation Ganondorf had been searching for. There was no Demon King. There was still something very debilitating, but it wasn't the literal reincarnation of the Demon King.

"Remember, a lot of what I have said today is pure speculation. Take it with a grain of sand."

He took it with the whole desert.

* * *

Blood. Blood dripped from his blade. Blood dripped from a thousand blades scattered across a plain of hacked up corpses. At Ganondorf's feet lay the most bruised, bloodied, and beaten corpse of them all. Zelda Harkinian in sacred robes died scarlet. Her severed hand slipped from his fingers. Two golden triangles tingled on his skin now.

A familiar footfall squelched through field. It ran faster, faster, faster. Metal scraped from a sheathe. With a roar, Link's blade clashed against black, jagged steel. Ganondorf chuckled. "You think you can make a mark on me?" His clothes, his armour, littered with punctures and tears. Beneath them, his skin was devoid of any wound or scarring. "A thousand have tried, and a thousand have failed."

Link snarled. The Triforce on the back of his hand glowed so bright that it burned Ganondorf's skin. The green-clad hero rammed into Ganondorf's forehead with supernatural force. The Demon King's back hit the ground with a wet thud. Groggily, he raised his head. The glowing tip of the Master Sword pricked his nose, and blood trickled.

"There's a first for everything," Link growled.

Ganondorf groaned as he opened his eyes. Though all he could see was the beige stone ceiling, the barrage of violent thoughts and desires continued to spiral.

 _The Triforce will be mine,_ the voice whispered. _Hyrule will be mine. I will quash all those pesky humans. I will rule everything. I will-_

"Shut it!"

For the first time in weeks, his mind went silent, as if whatever was inside had paused to listen.

"Who are you?" Ganondorf demanded.

The entity answered with resounding clarity. _"I'm you."_

"No. You're not."

A low, cold-blooded laughter echoed through his skull. _"You are me. You are a manifestation of a hatred eons old."_

"I don't hate anyone, and especially not the twins."

" _You really are naïve, aren't you?"_ the entity mocked, slithering about Ganondorf's head. _"I've been trying to warn you. They will turn on you."_

"You're wrong."

" _Once they discover this part of you, your beloved princess and heroic comrade won't hesitate to turn sword and bow against you."_

"Stop. You're just some fucked up brain chemistry. You're just a voice in my head."

The horrible laughter returned, and this time it filled the whole room. Something rushed to Ganondorf's arm, and his own hand flew to his throat. Nails bit into his skin. His eyes bulged. He gasped for air.

" _I assure you,"_ the voice said, icy and mellow, _"I am more than a voice in your head."_

Ganondorf clawed at his wrist and fingers, trying so desperately to pry them away. The thoughts, the darkness, continued to roll through his skull. His lungs begged for breath. He was gonna be forced out. He was gonna be replaced. He was gonna be-

Someone knocked on his door. "Ganon, are you in here?" Zelda's voice was muffled by the wood.

As suddenly as it had happened, his arm relaxed, and his mind became his own again.

"Ganon?"

The heaving of his chest settled. "Yeah. Gimme a minute." With a grunt, he peeled himself from the sheets and reached for his slate. There were no texts from Zelda foretelling her arrival. Ganondorf opened the camera app. He briefly checked his neck in selfie mode to find no bruising or nail marks, and he wondered if he had even been strangled at all.

Okay. Deep breath. Remember what the doctor said. Zelda would not be in danger around him.

He slid open the door and smiled as he leaned against the frame. "Hey. Didn't know you were coming."

Zelda tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I know you like spontaneity."

She was immediately struck by how Ganondorf's appearance juxtaposed his current demeanour. His bright and alive eyes were weighed down by heavy bags. His hair, usually so fluffy and wild, had deflated somewhat, forming greasy tendrils at the roots. His chin, usually clean-shaven to maintain uniform policy, was prickled and patchy.

This fact was not lost on Ganondorf. Here he was looking like a gods-damn mess, while Zelda stood before him, looking absolutely stunning with her glossy hair and heavenly outfit. Still, she hugged him like he hadn't been neglecting his hygiene for the past few days. "You're looking better," she said.

"Thanks."

"I, uh, brought you something." After a quick look up and down the hall, she held out her hands and a glass dish materialised between them. "It's a casserole. One of my mum's recipes."

As much as the gesture melted Ganondorf's heart, it was a bit of a culture shock. The community had made sure he fed himself by setting aside leftovers for him to collect in his own time (and they hammered on his door whenever he didn't). This meant that if he put a casserole in the fridge, everyone would see it. It was a very sweet gesture on Zelda's part, but it felt like a very private one that was about to be on full display. _Might as well lean into it,_ he thought.

He took the dish. "You're the best mum friend ever."

She flushed. "Oh, is that how I come across?"

"In spades." The casserole disappeared.

"I'm not sure it'll keep in the void," Zelda said. "Where do you keep food in the complex?"

It was around 7pm now. The dining courtyard was bound to be full. _He's just a voice in your head_. "I'll show you."

Ganondorf lead her down the hall and through a wide-open lounging area where people were playing board games, reading on cushions, or battling it out on _Super Smash Bros._ "That reminds me." Zelda summoned the video game her brother had given her. "Link wanted me to give you this," she said. "And he says that the next time you come over, he's going to slaughter you in _Mario Kart_. His words. Not mine."

Ganondorf let out a forced snort. Not the usual laughter he would respond with to Link's playful goading. Zelda tapped the toe of her shoe against the mosaic flooring. "Um, he really misses you. I swear he was antsy for some mischief all week but had no one to join him."

"Kinda picked it up on our calls," Ganondorf said. "Guess it explains why he jumped at Midna's lead."

"We both know that wasn't the _only_ reason." Zelda waggled her eyebrows. The return of his laughter was such a delight.

After Ganondorf had put away _Majora's Mask_ and rifled around for Link's copy of _Ocarina of Time_ , they continued on their way, chattering about the third member of their trio and his amusing romantic escapades.

"He was totally in bed with her," said Ganondorf. "Wouldn't say what for, though."

"Nothing intimate, apparently," Zelda said. "Nayru's love, you should've seen him when I gave him my blessing. He looked like he was about to melt into a puddle."

"10 rupees says they'll forget all about the Shadow Medallion."

"Ganon!" chortled Zelda as she nudged his arm.

The path opened into a sandstone courtyard with warm coloured canopies. The rim was surrounded by cacti rising from pebble beds, with thin sheets of water gurgling down the walls and into narrow drains. People knelt on cushions around lowset tables set atop circular, woven rugs. The space was filled with the lively chatter of not just Gerudo, but Gorons, women, and even gender non-conforming people of all races. It was nothing like the reclusive stereotype that the Gerudo had been pinned with by most voe.

"Yo, Ganon!" Villa waved from a nearby table. Sitting with him was Aveil, Riju, and…

"Paya?" Zelda gasped. The Sheikah girl flushed and nodded. Zelda came over with Ganondorf. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Y-yes. It's v-very… uh… unexpected?"

Riju threaded her fingers through Paya's. "It's her first time meeting the fam."

Ganondorf claimed one of the cushions across from her. "Is this the girlfriend you've been gushing about?"

"Oh, yes. Isn't she cute?"

Paya's cheeks grew redder, but she was smiling.

Villa cleared his throat once Zelda had taken her seat. "Hey, Zelda, my sister has something to say to you."

Aveil's arms were crossed, and her face was turned away, stubbornly scrunched. For a few awkward seconds, all eyes at the table were on her, until Aveil side-glared Zelda and mumbled, "I'm sorry for being so bitchy about the race."

The rest of the table groaned in relief. "Finally," exasperated Villa.

"Apology accepted," Zelda chirped, "and I never got to thank you for helping us save my brother." She looked at each face in turn. "All of you."

Riju smiled. "Of course. Anything for Castle City's best archer."

Upon finding out that Zelda had brought a casserole, curiosity flared among the table mates and beyond. Ganondorf was more than happy to share samples around, and Zelda found it quite odd how invested people were in the cooking of the legendary Sheik. She was pleased to see that her gift, which she had worried was too much, brought people together.

As they ate, Zelda realised just how much she had _missed_ being around women. Since she had been dedicating so much time and effort to a quest with two boys, her recesses and spare time had been almost solely used to catch up on study. There was little opportunity to interact with her female friends anymore. Some were understanding, and some treated her differently since finding out she was the reincarnated princess. Hilda had the audacity to feel _betrayed_ that Zelda had kept her Sheik persona a secret.

But here and now, she could chat about romance novels, thrifting, and the feminist plight with people who intrinsically understood, and they were quite pleased to know that under the mask, Sheik had been a relatable girly girl all along.

Ganondorf and Villa had their first full conversation in days, though didn't cut themselves off to the girls' one completely. Even though some of the darkness still lingered within Ganondorf, simply being out here felt like recharging a long dead battery. No longer did he have to fear his inner demon being a danger to anyone; he could finally enjoy his communal dinners guilt-free.

His fingers twitched on their own. Memories of them squeezing his throat resurfaced, along with those ominous words.

_I am more than a voice in your head._

Paya offered to take everyone's licked clean bowls to the kitchen. Zelda watched with amusement as Ganondorf, Aveil, and Villa had a three-way bicker. They really were all like siblings, weren't they?

"Hey," Riju whispered. "Thanks for getting Ganon out of his room today. We all missed him."

Zelda accepted the gratitude with a nod as she toyed with the ruffle of her skirt. "Has he been struggling to heal from the accident?"

"No, I think something else is going on. He won't tell us though, but maybe he'll tell you."

"Me?"

Riju winked. "He likes you."

Zelda blushed, and she refused to fathom why. Ganondorf's interest in her was something he had openly expressed for years, and lately she had been entertaining the idea that it _could_ be mutual. Perhaps now it was because she had reason to believe that his crush wasn't as shallow as she had believed for so long. Then again, she had been led on before.

No. _No._ She was not going to unpack any of this until he was recovered and their quest was over. For now, she would do what she could to help Ganondorf heal.

"For Din's sake," he exclaimed to Aveil, "of course my thunder balls can replace tennis- Hey, Zel. What's up?"

She lowered her hand from his arm. Wow, she was really going to ask this before an audience, wasn't she? Oh well. Keep it to a whisper. "Where do you go when you want to be alone?"

* * *

Shelves and pedestals of brassy urns surrounded a candle-lit altar. The flames danced against the metal, revealing names etched in Gerudo script. No shade or silhouette was the same.

Zelda did not visit final resting places often. Every trip to Ordon, she and Link would visit their parent's graves with fresh flowers. It was always a silent, sorrowful occasion. A harsh reminder of what they had lost, but here, Ganondorf looked so peaceful. This was his oasis, and though Zelda was warmly welcomed, she still felt like a trespasser.

"Are your mother's ashes here?" she asked, peering about.

"No, she's one with the desert now," he said. "This is the Tomb of Voe."

Centuries of ancestral history surrounded her, lovingly memorialised. As she appreciated the differences of each container, she noticed a detail that united some of them; the same name, etched into a few dozen urns.

"I wanna introduce you to someone." Ganondorf lead Zelda towards the end of the timeline. He gestured at a particular urn with a six-character name. It was short, gangly, and sharp-shouldered, with an ashy gold sheen. "This is my mentor, Charuu. He taught me everything I know about being a voe." It was nestled close to a larger, rounder urn of darkened rose gold. That one bore that same repeated name.

Zelda remembered the day Charuu had passed, and she had only witnessed Ganondorf's grief from afar. He was twelve. Zelda had passed behind Link and Ganondorf. They sat on the couch as they rammed their karts into each other on the Wii, laughing and trash-talking. As usual. She went up the stairs to do her homework. As usual. Not long after, Rhondson arrived, urging Ganondorf to come home. Zelda thought he was being a brat about it. As usual.

" _I've only been here 20 minutes! Why do I have to go now?"_ His protests were loud enough to distract Zelda from her Very Important Revision.

Rhondson finally caved and said something that Zelda couldn't hear. Silence followed, a silence that felt very unnatural and very un-Ganondorf. A door slammed. Zelda thought that he had shut himself in the toilet or somewhere else in a Particularly Brattish Move, but from her window, Ganondorf ran towards Rhondson's car, tugging her by the wrist.

The next day, Zelda passed the living room to refill her glass in the kitchen for yet more study. Link and Ganondorf were sitting on the couch again, but the latter was hunched over, his head in his hands. Link didn't say a word. He didn't have to as he rubbed his best friend's back and held out tissues when necessary.

" _He carked it just minutes before we got there, Link. I never got to say goodbye."_

Ganondorf wasn't anywhere near as brattish after that.

Guilt simmered within Zelda of the present day. She had ignored Ganondorf during the grieving process. He had come to her house for comfort and she hadn't done anything to enhance it. Even at the age of eleven, she knew how to make a casserole by herself, and she knew the pain of losing a parent all too well. She could have done _something._

No. She was not going to wallow in her guilt again. Not when she could be extending compassion instead. "Tell me about him."

Ganondorf took two cushions from a stack in the corner and set them down. Zelda crossed her legs opposite him.

"He was a small guy with a lot of chronic problems. Lived life in a wheelchair," he began. "At age 40, he looked like a grandpa, and he acted like one too, but even though he knew he wasn't gonna be around for long, he always found something to laugh about. Your gut wasn't safe whenever he was around.

"He didn't look it, but he radiated this epic masculine energy. I don't think I've met anyone with more charisma. If he caught you messing around, he'd roll right up and you'd just stand there, like a puppy getting a good scold." Zelda giggled, imagining the imposing tween version of Ganondorf cowering under the presence, of a little old voe.

"He always said that our vai were tired of fighting, tired of having to stand up against outside voe. That's why we, the few Gerudo voe who do exist, have to stand up for them, share the burden, and take on our oppressors. Give our vai room to breathe, to be weak. Everyone needs to be weak sometimes."

Zelda listened with her hands cradling her chin. There was something endlessly fascinating about how people became who they were, how every individual was a composition of those they loved. In a way, Zelda felt like she already knew Charuu because he was woven into the person before her. "You must really miss him."

"I do and I don't," he said. "When I come here, whenever Villa or any other voe comes here, we can feel the presence of our ancestors. Feels nice to be in a room full of people like us."

She nodded, a serene smile on her features. "Is it lonely, being the only voe-born Gerudo?"

"It's less lonely when I'm here." He pointed over his shoulder at the urn set just behind Charuu's. "That's the Ganondorf before me. Never knew him. I was born two decades too late. Charuu did, though. He was raised by the last Ganondorf, and then he raised me. Now it'll be my job to raise the new generation of voe."

"I didn't realise you also had a legacy name," Zelda said.

"Yeah, it's a pretty rare thing to have in common." Did he have to say it in _that_ voice? The one that made her heart dance?

Her fingers drummed against her warm cheeks. "Do you feel comfortable with the destiny it comes with?"

He didn't hesitate for a second. "Definitely." And yet, a cold dread spread through him the moment the word passed through his lips. This _thing_ that was inside him, that threatened to corrupt him, would it rip away his dream to become a leader, a father figure, and a cultural pillar for his community? Would he be cut off from his ancestral legacy?

"What about your destiny?" he asked.

"No," she sighed. "I was at the Spring of Courage today, praying to Hylia, but I couldn't ask for my ancestors' powers. Not in earnest, I mean. Truth is, I don't want the memories that could come with them."

Memories. From past lives. Was that what Ganondorf's mind kept playing? He had suspected as much until the psychiatry appointment, but if it could happen to Zelda, then was it happening to him?

"Could you imagine it though?" She was venting a little. "Suddenly having your mind filled with the lives of other people. Memories make the person, after all. I hate the idea of losing myself in the flood, and there's not a single person alive who could possibly understand it."

"Yeah," said Ganondorf, not daring to bring up the visions he was being subjected to even in that moment. "Yeah, that would suck."

Zelda’s eyes widened. She had forgotten why she was here. “So sorry. Look at me prattling on about my problems. Care to tell me how you’re doing?”

He had dreaded the question, because the truthful answer was far too monstrous. Mental illness or not, Ganondorf did not want to reveal the entity within him who wanted to see the beautiful woman before him slashed into ribbons.

He waved it off with a carefree tone. “Eh, I’m doing alright. Don’t worry about it.”

That didn’t make her worry any less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ!
> 
> I had to tread so carefully around the discussion of DID and OSDD because it is one of those mental illnesses that has been so vilified by the media. The evil alter is a trope that needs to die which is why I tried to differentiate the curse of Demise from OSDD and DID as much as possible. Maybe even mentioning it just so Ganondorf could use it as an excuse to deny what is really going on is in poor taste. I don't know. If you are someone who has OSDD or DID, I welcome your thoughts.
> 
> Also please please please educate yourself on these disorders. The exposition was necessary to include in this story, but fanfiction is not an educational resource. I highly recommend DisociaDID on YouTube, but there are other channels. Learning about it from people who have the disorder on YouTube is my preferred way because it creates a more empathetic connection.
> 
> COMPULSORY AUTHOR'S NOTE ENDS
> 
> I know I'm probably going to have a lot of confused comments about this, so I might as well address it now. The Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask games in this universe aren't exactly the same as what we have in ours. I just like to think that yes, they do have video games based on their own fables and history. The Demon King would be personified by someone other than Ganondorf. When name-dropping video game titles, I thought it would be cute to list off Nintendo ones specifically.
> 
> Okay, one more thing. I'm participating in Camp NaNoWriMo in April! Goal is 30 000 words, which means that May might be when I finally finish drafting TMA oh my god... I still have a shitton of outlining to do on my next story. I'm not ready!


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